Alabaster's Maiko 100
by Alabaster86
Summary: 100 prompts equals 100 drabbles or short stories from any time in the Maiko relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**Prompt #1: Beginnings**

**_A Secret_**

If any of their friends were asked, "What was the beginning of Mai's and Zuko's relationship?" all would answer, "the fountain incident" and in a way they would all be correct. Agni knows, Ty Lee told the story to everyone, every chance that she got.

"It was so cute!" she would exclaim. "Zuko rescued Mai and they both tumbled into the fountain. You should have seen their faces."

Mai would roll her eyes and Zuko would blush while Katara and Suki oohed and ahhed.

"They've heard it a hundred times already, Ty Lee," Zuko would declare with a frown.

"Good romance never gets old," the newest Kyoshi Warrior stated with confidence.

Mai patted Zuko on the back and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and gave his lover a sweet smile and suddenly they were gone, in their own world of recollection. They remembered a different beginning, one that neither Ty Lee nor Azula saw. It was a special, private moment and one of the sweetest of their lives; no matter that it happened when Zuko was nine and Mai only eight.

It was Princess Azula's seventh birthday and her friends, Mai and Ty Lee were sleeping over. Prince Zuko, her brother, who had turned nine a few weeks earlier, wasn't invited to participate.

"Girls only," Azula had told him as she shut her bedroom door in his face.

He just caught a glimpse of Mai, Azula's quiet friend, the one who always managed to capture his interest though she rarely spoke. He gave her a cheerful smile and her round cheeks reddened.

Hours later, close to bedtime, the three girls snuck out of the large bedroom and tiptoed down the hallway to the kitchen. There was leftover cake and lots of cookies to eat as well. Zuko was there already, sitting on a stool and munching on a crunchy cookie while Ursa sipped a cup of tea.

"Look who's here," Ursa smiled warmly.

"We want cake, mother," Azula declared.

"Manners, Azula," the woman corrected.

"We want cake, please."

The kitchen staff was gone for the night, so Ursa cut thick slices of cake and served them to the girls.

"I'm going to see your father in his office for a few minutes. Behave," she ordered and then left the kitchen.

"Aren't you having any cake, Zuko?" Ty Lee asked sweetly.

"Uh, uh," he replied and stole a look at Mai.

She was taking tiny bites of her cake and a little bit of icing was stuck on her thin pink lips. Zuko wanted to reach over and wipe it off but was far too shy. Besides, Azula would torment him mercilessly. At seven she was already a master.

"Why don't we play a game?" the princess suggested in a sugary voice. "Ty Lee, you're on my team. Mai, you're with Zuko."

"What kind of game?" Mai asked warily.

Her narrow gold eyes got narrower and she looked down at her plate as if it could give her answers.

"Oh, nothing special, just hide and seek, but in pairs."

"Hide and seek is boring," Mai stated and took another bite of cake.

"It's my birthday so you have to play what I want. Besides, I'm the princess."

"Fine," Mai agreed unwillingly.

"Ty Lee and I will hide. You and Zuko have to find us."

"You're not going to jump out and shoot fire at us or something, are you, Azula?" Zuko asked.

"Of course not, dum-dum; why would I do that?"

"Because you're a brat," Zuko muttered under his breath.

Mai heard and gave him a quick look. Her lips were squished together as if she was trying hard not to smile or laugh.

"Now, you and Mai go in there," Azula ordered, and pointed to a small and plain wooden door.

It stood open and there was nothing but blackness on the other side.

"That's the servants' corridors," Zuko stated. "Why do you want us in there?"

"So you can't see anything," the princess replied.

She pulled Mai by the arm and pushed her toward the corridor's entrance. Mai's face was pink again. The thick fringe of black hair that covered her forehead was damp with sweat and tiny tendrils of loose hair clung to her graceful little neck.

"I don't…"

Azula gave her another push forward, this one much harder. Mai stumbled forward several feet and was almost in complete blackness.

"Your turn, Zuko," Azula said. "I'm going to close the door so you can't see Ty Lee and I leave."

The prince gave the princess an angry glare but walked into the corridor voluntarily. Even before he heard the sound, he knew that Azula would lock the door. But Mai was in there and he wouldn't leave her alone.

"Why does she always do stuff like this?" the prince moaned.

He made a small fire in the palm of his hand, a basic firebending move and one he could handle more than adequately. Mai was a few feet ahead of him leaning against the cold stone wall.

"Are you scared?" he asked her.

"No," the little girl scoffed.

Zuko reached out with his free hand and Mai grabbed hold.

"There's another entrance somewhere," he stated. "We'll walk to it, okay?"

She nodded and they strode along in silence.

"Azula's not a very good friend," he said after a few minutes.

"I don't mind," Mai replied.

"Why? She's so mean."

"I get to come here."

Zuko looked at Mai's face, still slightly flushed and very pretty.

"You like the palace?" he asked.

"Yes," she said and held on tighter to Zuko's hand.

He understood and squeezed her hand in reply.

* * *

**A/N: a teeny tiny second entry for the same prompt**

_Beginnings_

Every day, when Zuko woke up and looked over at Mai, he was slightly surprised, just for a moment. Then when the fog cleared from his brain, he realized that, yes, he really was that lucky. Mai was his and each day was like a new beginning, beautiful in its possibilities.

Mai knew Zuko so well. She could predict most of his actions and most of his words and that was comforting. But once in awhile he surprised her and she looked at him anew. Those moments were like beginnings. She loved them both, the old and the new.


	2. Chapter 2

**Prompt#2: Ends **

_Relief_

Sometimes Mai and Zuko wondered if they were wishing their lives away. The days right after the war's end were hectic, almost frantic, and the new Fire Lord spent most of his time in meetings. He cajoled and convinced old school council members and compromised with and conceded to angry leaders from the other nations.

Each day was a challenge; an exhausting challenge that left Zuko weary to the bone. The couple looked forward to the evening when they could recuperate _together_. Right now, days were just something to get through. Mai helped all that she could, attending meetings with him, observing quietly and astutely, reading expressions and gestures and filing the information away for later.

Sometimes it was all she could do not to let fly one of her many blades, pinning down the arm of an unsuspecting politician, shaking him out of his stupor or stopping a rant in mid stream.

She looked over at Zuko every few minutes, gauging his stress level by the tightness of his fists and the narrowness of his good eye. They both looked forward to the meeting's end too, but Zuko had trouble bringing things to a conclusion. He wanted to accomplish something before calling it quits for lunch.

Mai didn't have that issue, so she stepped in and did it for him, ordering crusty old men out of the war room. They were offended that the Fire Lord's 'girlfriend' had the nerve to take such action and even more offended that the Fire Lord gave her the power. But the look on her face was enough to convince them to leave anyway.

"You wait too long to end things," Mai stated as soon as the last man left the room and the thick curtains fell back into place.

"I know," Zuko lamented and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just want to accomplish something during every meeting."

"It might take weeks of meetings to get anything done," Mai corrected him. "Politics is a game and you have to learn how to play."

"But I don't want to play games. I'm not good at them."

"Relax," Mai soothed. "Remember that for every meeting there is an end, two ends actually. And those are worth looking forward to."

She got up from her seat next to him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before moving to stand behind him. Zuko knew what was going to happen and groaned in anticipation.

"Hang on a minute," Mai teased. "I'm going to have a servant bring us some lunch."

Zuko groaned again. Mai ducked into the corridor, spoke with a servant, and then walked back into the council room. She stood behind Zuko again and whispered in his ear.

"We have fifteen minutes before the food comes."

Zuko shivered with anticipation. Mai pulled out his crown and ran long fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp.

"Agni, Mai, it feels so good."

"I know," she replied huskily and placed a kiss on his neck.

She moved her hands down to his shoulders and massaged the twisted and tense muscles that practically vibrated under his skin. Zuko's eyes slipped closed and he leaned back into Mai's touch.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," he sighed, "just you and me; no annoying old men, no sycophantic old men, no one but us."

"Me too, but those annoying old men will be back in less than an hour."

She walked around Zuko's simple chair (the throne was now just a decorative antique rather than a place for the Fire Lord to issue orders from) and looked at him with a smirk before sitting on his lap. She adjusted her robes and then leaned in for a kiss. It was soft and slow at first, but the heat built up quickly and Zuko grabbed on to her desperately.

Mai gently removed his hands. She kissed him once again, this time chastely and then hopped off his lap.

"Time for lunch," she announced.

Sure enough, the servant brought in a tray of steaming, delicious smelling food along with tea. They ate and chatted about unimportant things. When they were finished, Mai put Zuko's hair back up and slipped in the crown. She did it quickly and expertly. Their lunchtime relaxation was quickly becoming a regular thing.

"Are you going to end the meeting tonight or will I have to step in again?" Mai asked as the servant left with the remains of lunch.

"I'll end it," Zuko growled.

"Good," Mai purred. "They prefer hearing it from you anyway. And I have some ideas for tonight."

The Fire Lord swallowed hard and Mai gave him a smoldering look. He had no problem sending the old men away that evening or any evening after.


	3. Chapter 3

**Prompt #3: Poverty**

Born of the royal family and born of nobility, neither Zuko nor Mai should ever have experienced poverty. And neither did in the traditional sense, at least not while they were at home in the Fire Nation. But both suffered a poverty of healthy emotion and loving support, an affliction that only they themselves could help each other with.

Zuko and Mai, both lonely and underappreciated, each saw the goodness in the other. It started when they were small and Mai came to the palace to play with Azula and Ty Lee. Even before Zuko's and Azula's mother disappeared, the little prince was humiliated and teased by his sister while his father, then Prince Ozai, deemed him useless.

Mai was never one for talking a lot, but a look or a smile from her would lift Zuko's spirits for the rest of the day. If she joined him by the turtkleuck pond and they sat in silent contemplation, Mai comfortable enough to lie on her back and look up at the sky, Zuko was on a high for at least a week. Agni knows, he didn't quite understand the bond that he and Mai shared. But he knew that when they were together, he felt good.

* * *

The palace was in most ways just another prison for Mai. She couldn't be herself at home and under the watchful eyes of Azula, she never felt completely at ease. Relieved to get away from her mother's constant harping and fussing and shushing, Mai would come face to face with Azula and shut down almost completely, just like she did when with her parents.

It was when Azula grabbed the ever perky Ty Lee and vanished to play some game or other and left a 'boring' Mai behind, that the little black haired girl felt good. Zuko might come out to the garden or pass by Azula's room and sit with her for awhile. He would ask if she was okay and Mai would blush and nod and sneak looks at the prince's handsome face.

When Mai got her first knife she didn't want to show it to anyone but Zuko. He liked blades too and the pair compared their weapons, feeling the weight and grip of the other one, before trading back. They practiced throwing together and Mai quickly became more skilled than Zuko. But he didn't care. He was proud of her. Her parents were never proud.

* * *

The disappearance of Zuko's mother was one of the hardest times in the young prince's life. He was completely bereft and no one was there to comfort him. Azula didn't seem to care and if Ozai, the new Fire Lord did, he kept those feelings to himself and berated his son for expressing any grief at all.

"I miss her too," Mai dared to whisper one day as she and Zuko threw bits of stale bread to the turtleducks.

Those four words, so simple and said so quietly, soothed Zuko. He wasn't alone.

* * *

Even after his banishment, a difficult three years for both, back home in the Fire Nation and an honorable prince once again, Zuko needed Mai. She buoyed him up. It was her kisses and her touch that kept him sane.

Mai craved contact with him. The warmth of his skin against hers, the sensation of their lips joined, made her feel alive like nothing else did, like nothing else ever had. She needed Zuko.

When they were together, poverty left. As their bond grew stronger, even absence from each other couldn't bring the poverty back. They were each stronger now, secure in the love they felt and the love they received.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I guess this drabble is a pretty conventional take on 'wealth', but I tried to make it descriptive and sweet.

**Prompt #4: Wealth**

It was everywhere. Wealth surrounded the new Fire Lord and his wife of just a few days. The palace itself was ornately decorated, filled with sculpture and tapestries and portraits worth a fortune. The clothes they wore were of the finest silks and linens, delicately embroidered, taking hundreds of hours to make. And the crown that Zuko wore was of the finest gold, an antique passed down through generation after generation of Fire Lords.

Mai could have any jewels she wanted. Ursa's treasures were still in her old room, locked up once, but now there for Mai to use should she choose to. She didn't feel right putting on her mother-in-law's special pieces but she could see in Zuko's eyes that he wanted her to. So she chose the simplest pair of earrings and wore them every day. They were teardrop shaped and tiny red stones sat cradled inside each.

The bed the young couple slept in was dressed in smooth silk sheets of red and burgundy. The blankets were of the best weave and the curtains that hung on the windows matched perfectly.

Their shared bathroom was monstrous in size, bigger than the homes that most families lived in. Marble was everywhere; the tub, the floors and the counters were all formed from the exquisite stone. When Mai and Zuko bathed together, the Fire Lord washed his lover's hair with shampoo purchased from the best shops and untangled the black mane with a comb carved from ivory, delicate whorls decorating its edges and a dragon sitting at its centre.

Wealth from other nations, wedding gifts from dignitaries, also decorated their rooms and the palace itself. The Northern Water Tribe leader, Arnook, had given them an enormous traditional carving of bone. It stood as tall as a man in the front foyer of the royal dwelling, an imposing and majestic sight. King Kuei of the Earth Kingdom gave them a beautiful tapestry that depicted the wonders of his nation. It was almost as large as an entire wall and hung in Zuko's office.

Everywhere Zuko and Mai turned there was wealth. They enjoyed its comforts but they didn't need it. Both were just as happy sleeping in the upstairs of Iroh's tea shop or in a tent in the South Pole or a simple wooden house on Kyoshi Island.

Zuko especially liked taking a break from the frills and getting back to basics. During his time in the Earth Kingdom he experienced hunger and slept in barns or on the ground, unsure where his next meal would come from. He never wanted to go back to _that_, but sometimes simplicity was a welcome change.

* * *

"We're not eating in today," Zuko informed Mai close to lunch time.

It was a warm day in late spring, a few weeks after their wedding. Trees blossomed in the palace gardens and flowers were at their most lush, the heat of summer not having scorched them yet. The Fire Lord was dressed in plain, casual clothes, a short sleeved tunic and loose, comfortable pants. He directed Mai toward her wardrobe.

"Put something simpler on."

"You're bossy today," she quipped in reply, but her gold eyes sparkled.

Zuko had a plan and she was looking forward to discovering it. She chose her own pair of plain black pants, topped by a deep red tunic with flowing sleeves. She tied a gold sash around her waist and then took a look in the mirror.

"You look perfect," Zuko gushed. "Except….."

He reached for her hair and began to remove the pins that held the buns in place. She slapped his hands away irritably and loosened the dark hair herself.

"Happy?" she asked.

"Yes," Zuko replied and took her hand in his.

He pulled her along through the hallways, out into the gardens and to a well hidden secret gate. A servant met them with a picnic basket which Zuko took with a nod.

"Why don't I know about this gate?" Mai asked.

"It's secret," Zuko replied. "But you know now."

Mai shrugged as she followed her husband through the narrow opening in the palace walls and along a path that led up through the caldera. The path was known to only a few people and was completely deserted. A warm breeze played with Mai's long dark hair and made the sleeves of her tunic flutter. It really was a beautiful day. Spring and fall were when the Fire Nation really shone. Summer was almost unbearably hot and winter was a rainy, cloudy mess a lot of the time. She inhaled deeply and reached for Zuko's hand again.

They began to walk down the slope of the caldera and further away from the city, tucked inside its protective wall of rock. A small field filled with wildflowers and one solitary tree came into view.

"Here," the Fire Lord said and guided Mai to a spot under the tree.

The couple sat on the ground, crushing bits of grass beneath their bottoms, and dug into the picnic basket with abandon. They ate with their fingers; no elegant chopsticks and no expensive dishes, no servants waiting to refill glasses or soup bowls. The warm sun shone down brightly, heating the earth underneath them, making it an inviting bed to stretch out on. As they lay back, stomachs full, the wind rustling in the tree overhead, neither had ever felt wealthier.


	5. Chapter 5

**Prompt#5: Two of a Kind**

Instant Spark

"I'm scared, Uncle," Zuko said to Iroh one evening as the day of his marriage to Mai approached. "I, I screw everything up. What if I screw this up too?"

Iroh reached for his teacup and held it lovingly, then leaned back in his comfortable chair. Some of the muscle he had acquired in prison was gone and a bit more of the fat had returned. Running a teashop kept him busy and happy but also left him open to the temptations of wondrous new baked goods every day. Sometimes a particularly fine cake could prove impossible to resist.

"It's good to be scared, nephew. You are embarking on the most important journey of your life."

The young Fire Lord's eyes widened with surprise. "Were _you_ scared before your wedding," he asked.

"Petrified," the old man replied. "I'm just a little better at hiding things than you are. I had trouble sleeping for weeks before the ceremony and on the actual day, my knees were shaking."

"And how did you feel after the wedding was over?"

"Much better; though learning to live with someone was another challenge. You and Mai already live together. You won't need to learn each other's habits."

"Yeah, that's true. But we'll be _married_. And everyone will be expecting us to have a baby right away."

Zuko looked frightened at the thought of both the pressure to have a child and actually becoming a father. He slouched down in his own chair and heaved a huge sigh. Iroh chuckled and took a sip of his tea.

"One thing at a time; I advise you to concentrate on Mai for awhile. I predict great things for the two of you as a couple. You are the perfect mix."

"Everyone says that Mai and I are so different, Uncle. And we are in some ways. But…"

"But," Iroh interrupted with a grin, "in many ways you and Mai are two of a kind."

"Do you think so?" Zuko asked eagerly.

"I know so," Iroh replied. "You are very passionate and emotional and wear your heart on your sleeve. Mai gives off the impression that she doesn't care. Or at least she tries to. But her passion for _you_ is as obvious as the sun in the sky. Mai would do anything for you, Zuko."

The Fire Lord blushed lightly and thought about what his uncle had said.

"Both of you prefer solitude or the company of a few trusted people over crowds. Am I right?"

"Yeah, we both hate those big dinner parties we're obligated to host. Who wants to sit and eat with a bunch of people you don't know and don't care to know?"

"It's part of the job, I'm afraid," Iroh reminded his nephew. "Perhaps it will get easier for both of you with time. I realize that neither you nor Mai are big talkers. You both say more with looks and gestures."

Zuko had never given any real thought to what he and Mai had in common or how they were different. They just clicked. They always had. He adored her unwaveringly and spending the rest of his life with her was something he wanted more than anything else and had wanted for years.

"Yeah," he finally said, "Mai's looks can say an awful lot."

He recalled one specific look, one that Mai gave when she was very enamored, and blushed more deeply this time. Zuko's eyes became dreamy pools of gold as he remembered _exactly _what happened after his fiancée gifted him with that impassioned glance.

"What are you thinking about?" Iroh asked curiously. "You certainly look happy."

"Yes, Zuko, what _are _you thinking about?" Mai repeated as she glided into the intimate sitting room.

She stood behind her fiancé, placing gentle hands on each of his shoulders and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. Sometimes her mere presence undid Zuko. This was one of those times.

"I, uh, I was thinking about how much alike we are," he stammered.

"Hello, Mai," Iroh greeted the young woman. "Zuko and I were discussing the fact that you and he are two of a kind in many ways."

"Mmm," she replied, glancing over at Iroh and then down at Zuko's head. "Do you think so?"

"I'm certain of it," the tea maker replied. "And yet you have enough differences to give your relationship spark. Like I told Zuko, I predict a long and happy marriage."

Mai began to rub the Fire Lord's shoulders. Her ministrations were gentle at first and then grew harder and more insistent.

"I was thinking about having a rest," Mai said in a low, sensual drawl, her lips close to Zuko's ear. "You don't mind if I leave, do you Iroh?" she continued in a regular voice.

"Not at all, my dear; you must take care of yourself."

"Funny," Zuko blurted out suddenly. "I'm feeling tired too."

"Like I said, 'two of a kind'," Iroh laughed as the young couple rushed out of the room holding hands and headed in the direction of their bedroom.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the brevity, but I said what I wanted to say and there was no sense in writing more. Thanks for reading!**

**Prompt #6: Past**

The Past is Forever

Their pasts intertwined and crisscrossed like the network of veins and arteries that lay beneath their skin. Mai and Zuko were joined forever, no matter the distance between them, no matter the time elapsed between their last exchanged words and the next.

Gifts given with the sticky hands of childhood were treasured. They were links to the past. When Zuko stood alone on the deck of his ship and took out the tiny heart shaped rock Mai had given him just days before his banishment, he was soothed and transported back to the garden and the pond and the feel of Mai's hand against his for just a second. If he screwed his eyes shut and thought very hard, Zuko could see her face clearly; faint pink on her cheeks whenever she was near him, narrow gold eyes that held something they shouldn't have and glorious black hair more beautiful than any crown could ever be. He wanted to reach out and grab hold of those days. His heart ached with missing her.

When Mai lit a single candle and pulled the doors on her wardrobe, pushing aside acres of cloth to reach a thick book of poems, she opened it with trembling fingers to the page in the middle. A single flower, pressed and dried looked up at her. It was too fragile to touch now. It would crumble in her hand. But she let her fingers hover over the once bright yellow bloom and thought of the boy who had nervously handed it to her, shifting from one foot to the next and afraid to meet her eyes. She wanted to reach out and grab hold of that day. Her heart ached with missing him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Prompt #7: Present**

**Stolen Moments**

"Live in the present," was one of Iroh's favorite sayings. Zuko ignored it for those years of his banishment, preferring to wallow in the terrible events of recent years or muse about the uncertain future that lay before him. Mai did the same, spending her time recalling lost days with her only true friend or imagining a reunion that might never come. Still, both had a certain determination and when something needed to get done, it got done, no wallowing allowed.

Once the war was over and their issues settled, the young couple focused on each day as it happened. There was little time for rumination anyway. And their present was everything they ever wanted, despite the aggravations and stress that went along with being the Fire Lord of a changing nation and the partner and confidante of said Fire Lord.

"What's next?" Zuko asked Mai one day about six months after his coronation.

He adjusted the stacks of correspondence on his wide desk top, sorting them into neat piles. Zuko couldn't tolerate messiness. It made his already difficult job that much more difficult.

"You have a meeting in half an hour with the Minister of Education," Mai replied with a yawn. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Yes!" Zuko exclaimed. "I can never remember half of what they say in these meetings and you have that thing you do."

Mai raised delicate eyebrows and sat up straight in her chair.

"That thing?" she asked.

"You know," Zuko said, "that way you have of seeing through the phoniness and understanding exactly what the ministers and councilmen really mean."

"Oh, _that _thing," Mai stated dryly.

She stood up, leaned across the desk and gave Zuko a kiss.

"I'm going to see about getting some tea sent to the council room. I could use a cup. I'll meet you there."

"Okay," Zuko agreed and kept his eyes on Mai until she closed his office door.

He never got tired of watching her walk away _or_ watching her walk toward him. In fact, Zuko could watch Mai doing anything with a smile on his face. The tingling he always felt in her presence slowly faded and he readjusted the papers, signing one he had missed, before standing up and checking his appearance in the gilt mirror that hung on the wall behind his desk. His hair was fine, thank Agni. Zuko had a tendency to run his fingers through it, whether he was wearing a topknot or not. Mai had done emergency hair repairs more than a few times before meetings or dinners.

Zuko meandered down a series of hallways that led to the council room, once the war room. Mai was inside already. An elegant tea service sat upon a small table and three chairs were gathered in a loose conversation circle. Zuko preferred to talk with people rather than down to them from the throne.

"Hey," Mai said when she heard his approach. "Minister Norito is running late. He sent a frantic letter apologizing."

"That gives us time to have tea together," Zuko replied with a smile.

"Yep," Mai said and poured a cup for Zuko and then for herself.

They sat in comfortable silence, taking sips of the specially blended jasmine tea, a gift from Iroh.

"This is nice," the Fire Lord observed.

"Mmmm," Mai hummed in agreement.

They took what they could when they could and enjoyed it. Every moment together was like a gift and they refused to take any of them for granted. There had been too much lost time.


	8. Chapter 8

**Prompt #8: Future**

"Let's Talk"

Zuko turned over in bed and gave Mai's shoulder a shake.

"Not again, Zuko," she murmured sleepily.

"It's not that. I want to talk."

She was tired but could hear that tone in her husband's voice, the one that said, 'I won't stop bothering you until we have this conversation.'

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" she asked crankily anyway, a little protest to let Zuko know just how tired she really was.

"I have no time then," the Fire Lord replied. "It's a busy day tomorrow."

"Fine," Mai sighed. "Spill it."

She rolled over and faced her husband. He looked anxious and elated at the same time. Reaching up with her hand, she cupped his cheek and stroked her thumb across it.

"Do you ever think about our future?" he finally asked.

"Um, sure," she replied haltingly. "I mean, I don't think about it all the time, but sometimes I wonder about what will happen and how things will turn out."

Zuko listened quietly, then mulled over his wife's words. Ever since he and Mai had decided to try for a baby, he'd become even more introspective than usual. And he worried; a lot.

"We're going to bring a life into this world, Mai. We're going to be parents. I just wonder…. I hope that our future will be happy."

"What do you _want_ our future to look like?" Mai asked.

She tucked her dark hair behind her ears and waited patiently for him to respond. Covering her mouth to hide a yawn, Mai leaned back into her pillows. This conversation was going to take awhile; may as well be comfortable.

"I'll be happy as long as you're a part of it," he answered with a smile.

Zuko leaned over and gave Mai a kiss on the lips. Then he put a hand across her abdomen as if willing a child to grow there.

"And our baby," he added, "Or babies."

"I'll be part of it," Mai assured her husband. "And the baby will come eventually. You worry too much."

"I won't be like my father," he stated with sudden fierceness. "I won't."

"No, you won't be like him. You're not like him now. You never were like him," Mai said softly. "You're a good husband and you'll be a good father. I know it."

"How can you be so sure?" Zuko asked with wide gold eyes. "He's a part of me. Maybe he wasn't always so terrible. Maybe he changed."

"I'm sure because I know you; I know your moods and your ideals and your expressions and your opinions. I know that you're a good man. You've always been good. That won't change."

"Do you worry about being like your mother?" Zuko asked tentatively.

"It's crossed my mind. But I'm not her. I'm nothing like her at all."

"No, you're not," he agreed warmly.

"Zuko, I can't tell you what will happen tomorrow or a month from now or a year from now. I'm sure there will be bad things. But there will be enough good to even things out. We'll be fine."

"It's_ our_ future, isn't it?" he asked with a smile, "Ours together?"

"Ours together," Mai agreed. "Now can I get some sleep; If I don't, neither of us will have one."


	9. Chapter 9

**Prompt #9: First**

The Watcher

They shared so many firsts; neither Mai nor Zuko had given their hearts to another. Neither had so much as considered it. They had eyes only for each other, forever and always. So, he was her first true friend and she was his. When he reached for her hand with his own shaking one, neither had held hands with another before. Mai's silken cheek was never touched by lips other than Zuko's. When they first made love, it was a new experience for both, a shared wonder that sent each of them reeling from its intensity.

But _Mai_ saw Zuko first, before he even knew she existed. In fact, she watched him from a hiding place in the palace garden, too shy to show herself as the boy practiced his bending or walked along the garden paths with his beloved mother.

* * *

It was only the third time that Mai had been to the palace. Azula recruited her and Ty Lee as friends, selecting them from among all the girls at the Royal Fire Academy. There was no choice involved. When Azula said, 'Come over and play,' you did. The princess wasn't in a hurry to introduce the girls to her brother, preferring instead to make fun of him in his absence.

"Watch my firebending," she would order them both. "See how good I am? Now watch this." She would perform a deliberately weak move and then begin to laugh. "That's how ZuZu firebends."

Ty Lee giggled too but Mai remained quiet and thoughtful. She wanted to see this brother, the prince.

"Where is he?" she asked softly, not really expecting an answer.

"He's at the turtleduck pond with my mother, probably. _He_ doesn't have any friends."

"Oh," Mai replied as if it didn't really matter anyway.

As Azula continued to demonstrate what she saw as Zuko's weaknesses, Mai slipped away and walked along the garden path, looking ahead and behind her, not wanting to be spotted by anyone. In the distance, she could see the pond and two figures, one a woman sitting on the grass and one a young boy, standing up and tossing chunks of bread into the water. He laughed merrily as the turtleducks gobbled up the food. As Mai drew closer and hid beneath a sprawling and slightly scratchy bush, she couldn't help but smile herself. The prince's laugh was so much different from Azula's. It was light and pure and genuinely happy. She wanted to get closer but didn't dare so Mai contented herself with watching from a safe distance. She could hear snatches of the conversation between mother and son and then felt guilty, her cheeks growing hot.

He was handsome, the prince; Mai, even at a young age, was trained to recognize beauty and intelligence and good breeding. Her mother and father had beaten that into her head for as long as she could remember.

'Look, Mai; the Ikari boy has such fine features. His nose is straight and long but not too long. His eyes are shaped evenly and his….'

By the time her mother got to that stage, Mai usually tuned her out; but she absorbed the information anyway. Zuko fit the ideal of noble good looks and his good breeding went without question. Mai figured he must be intelligent because he knew enough to stay away from Azula.

And he loved his mother very much. That would be obvious to a complete idiot. For some reason, that made Mai like him even more. She wondered if she was silly for hiding under a bush and spying on the Prince of the Fire Nation. She wondered if she was silly for liking someone she had never met. Then Mai decided that she didn't care. Her first glimpse of Zuko was one that would stay with her forever. The idea of actually meeting him scared her a bit, but she would swallow that fear when the time came; and it would.

* * *

"Where did you go, Mai?" Azula called loudly. She was getting closer and closer to Mai's newfound secret spot. "We need you for the game."

The princess's voice was already rich with authority and confidence. It was difficult to ignore. Mai crept out from under the cover of the creeping bush, brushed off her knees and followed the sound of the princess's cries.

"There you are!" Azula declared. "I never said you could leave."

"I, I, was bored," Mai said in her defense.

"You're always bored."

"Not always," the little ebony haired girl said under her breath and smiled.

"Come on, we're playing war. I'm the Fire Nation, Ty Lee is the Earth Kingdom and you're the Water Tribe."

Mai sighed and pulled on one of the ribbons that dangled from her hair. She was always the Water Tribe. And she always ended up wet.


	10. Chapter 10

**Prompt #10: Last**

.

Better Left Unknown 

Much of the time, final moments come as a surprise. Often we don't know they're final until after they're over and days have gone by and circumstances have changed. Neither Mai nor Zuko knew that a few stolen minutes in a disused room of the palace would be their last time together for more than three years. Perhaps it was better that way.

"Here," Zuko said shyly and moved back the pale sheet that covered the sofa.

It hung precariously from the sofa's edges, ghostlike in the darkness of the curtained and shuttered parlor. Mai sat down on the edge of the seat and waited for Zuko to join her. When he did, careful to place himself close but not too close, the couple looked at each other expectantly. They were on the run from Azula. The princess had been in a particularly mocking and nasty mood all morning, telling Mai all about Zuko's blunder at the war meeting and the impending Agni Kai.

"Are you worried?" she asked tentatively.

"About the Agni Kai?" Zuko asked. "No; it's an old general. I should be able to defeat him."

He sounded confident at least. That was promising.

"Oh, that's good," Mai replied.

"Will you come?" Zuko asked.

Mai thought for a second and then shook her head. Watching firebending duels didn't interest her, despite the fact that Zuko was participating. Besides, the tiniest knot of fear sat like a lump of lead in her stomach. She, like most Fire Nation citizens, had heard tales of famous duels, many ending in death or disfigurement. She would not be a witness to that.

"Okay; maybe I'll see you after then."

"Probably," Mai agreed.

Silence, but comfortable silence, fell over the room. Zuko shifted a few inches closer to Mai. He was thirteen, awkward and shy and unsure of himself sometimes, but he knew that he liked this black haired girl. He liked when they touched, accidentally or purposely. It sent a sudden flash of intense heat straight to his stomach and lately to his groin. His face flushed with shame and desire and embarrassment at the thoughts he was having.

"M, Mai?" he asked with a nervous stutter.

"Mmm," she hummed in reply.

He wiped a hand off on his tunic, trying to be discreet and then reached for Mai's. She didn't resist. In fact, she curled small fingers around his and gave him one of her rare smiles. Zuko smiled in return and tightened his grip just a little bit. He wanted to reach over and press his lips to hers. He inched a bit closer still, close enough so that their thighs and shoulders touched. She was so pretty. Looking at her there made his breath hitch. He finally bent his head down but placed warm, slightly chapped lips against her soft cheek instead.

Mai's breath hitched too and her eyes widened slightly. When Zuko pulled away, she gave him another smile; two in the space of a few minutes. The prince's heart seemed ready to burst.

"I, maybe we should get back before Azula finds us," the prince suggested.

Mai shrugged.

"This room is our room. No one else ever goes here."

"Our room," Mai repeated.

Reluctantly, the pair got up, putting the sheet to rights before they left. As they turned down a hallway, Azula greeted them with a sneer.

"Where did you two go?" she asked suggestively.

"Nowhere," Zuko snarled in response. "It's none of your business."

He looked protectively over at Mai.

"Well,_ I_ need her now. Why don't you go have tea with Uncle Loser?"

Azula tugged on Mai's arm and dragged her down the wide corridor. Mai looked back once and smiled again. Zuko gave her a wave and then turned on his heel, moving down another hallway.

He was banished two days later.

Mai's bangs lifted in the heavy breeze and she breathed in the smell of the sea. She stood at the capitol city's entrance_ and_ exit; it's port. Besides a few dock workers, Mai was alone. Somehow, she had dared to sneak out of her house before her parents were even awake, and ran through the sleepy city nonstop until she reached the sheltered bay where ships came and went. Zuko was leaving in disgrace; no one was there to wish him well or say goodbye.

His small ship was almost out of sight already. He wouldn't know that she was there. He couldn't see her. But she waved anyway, a slow forlorn wave that said so much more than farewell. She mourned there on the dock and wished as hard as she could.

"Please, don't let this be the last time I see him."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Another brief one…I found 'honour' a bit of a challenge re Maiko, despite the fact that it's every second word out of Zuko's mouth. Hope it turned out okay. And damn, I hate Microsoft Word underlining my Canadian 'honour' all the time (and my colour and my labour etc).

**Prompt #11: Honour**

Change of Perspective

Honour permeated the culture of the Fire Nation, especially its nobles. A child should bring honour to his family. An adult should strive for a position of honour and respect. A member of the royal family should follow traditions and customs to the letter, behave like a proper prince or princess or Fire Lord, never straying from the path set out for him or her, never bringing shame upon his family or his nation.

Zuko spent three years thinking his honour was lost to him; and there was only one way for him to have that honour once again. He had to capture the Avatar and bring him back to the Fire Nation, a prisoner, a threat no longer. The Avatar was the means to an end for Zuko, the only person who could give him back what he so desperately wanted.

But Zuko was wrong. Honour was something else entirely.

* * *

He loved and respected Mai, his fiancée. He listened to everything she said with care and attention. He valued her opinion. He treasured her presence. He would be the best husband it was possible for him to be. That was honour.

On his wedding day he would pledge himself, mind, soul and body to the woman he loved; that exquisite beauty, full of grace and dry humor and sharp wit. He accepted her faults gladly. He loved the entire package. He loved Mai. That was honour.

Zuko was an honourable man, and he was happy.


	12. Chapter 12

**Prompt #12: Tears**

Power

Mai was never much for tears, even when she was alone. It took a lot to make her cry. Emotions, open and raw, were uncomfortable and awkward and she wasn't used to expressing them. Mai was always told not to; and she was a good little girl who wanted to please, at least for a while. After that, suppressing the stronger feelings became a habit more than anything else. Repression was a part of her and opening up was a tremendous effort.

Zuko changed all that.

* * *

When she first saw him after three years, short haired and terribly scarred, Mai's eyes filled with tears instantly. She blinked them back, not wanting them to actually fall; Azula was watching her, gauging her reaction. But they were there, the first tears she had shed since those agonizing early months of Zuko's banishment.

"Are you_ crying_, Mai?" Azula asked. "Please, tell me you're not."

"I'm not," Mai replied dully and blinked even harder.

When she actually spoke to Zuko, they came unbidden again. Mai knew that he could see them, glistening in her golden eyes, but he never said a word.

* * *

As soon as she saw the scroll on her bed, Mai knew that Zuko was gone. He was strange after the war meeting and evasive, very intense and emotional. But he never mentioned exactly what was bothering him. The letter didn't explain things much better than his silence had. No matter the reason, though, he was gone and he might never come back.

Mai was thrown back in time three years and her tears fell, hot and furious. They streamed down her cheeks and fell off the end of her chin onto the red fabric of her bedspread. They burned her eyes. She scrubbed viciously at the drops, as if they were to blame for the utter despair and loneliness she felt.

Just when she had started to feel like a person, just when she had started to feel happiness for the first time in so long, he had to go and abandon her. If she ever did see him again, she would kick his ass.

* * *

Mai was angry. Zuko was alive and sitting right in front of her. But he was a prisoner at The Boiling Rock, stubbornly determined to fulfill whatever destiny he had set out for himself. She didn't understand quite where he was coming from. She wanted to, Agni knew, and she tried to listen. But her furor was like the brightest flame Zuko could produce. It wouldn't be ignored and she let the man she loved feel its power.

When he locked her in that cell and their eyes met, try as she might, Mai couldn't fight the tears that filled her eyes; gone again.

* * *

A different kind of tears overwhelmed her as she stood in the crowd and watched Zuko's coronation. Damn him, making her weep in public. He had a power over her; being with Zuko made Mai do and feel and express things so deeply hidden it was a wonder they could be found at all.

She was so proud of him. She was so relieved that he was alive, let alone the Fire Lord and content and at peace. Mai knew, she _really_ knew then, that Zuko was her partner for life. No one else would ever or could ever do to her what he did.

She dabbed at her eyes gently but then moved her hands away, deciding to let the tears fall free.


	13. Chapter 13

**Prompt #13: Laughter**

The Sweetest Sound 

Zuko slammed the door to the suite of rooms he shared with Mai. She looked up at his loud entrance and then looked back down at her book.

"What happened this time?" she asked with a sigh as the Fire Lord flopped heavily onto a cushioned armchair.

"Ugh," he growled. "Sometimes I really hate my job."

His arms dangled loosely off the sides of the chair and his legs were stretched out as far as they could go. He pulled the crown out of his hair and tossed it onto the table. Mai waited patiently for her husband of just a few months to settle down. He often came back from meetings in a bad mood; especially meetings that _she_ did not attend.

"Are you going to tell me?" the Fire Lady finally asked after waiting a good five minutes.

"Yes, just let me get my thoughts together," Zuko replied. He ran a hand through his shaggy dark brown hair and then pinched the bridge of his nose, both signs that he was agitated. "What do they expect from me? I work hard. I listen to everyone. I try to be fair. And it's never enough; same old thing."

Mai placed her book down on a side table, got up from her chair and walked over to Zuko. She sat on his lap and snuggled into his chest. He brought an arm up and wrapped it around her body, holding her close.

Zuko," she began, "whatever you do will never satisfy everybody. It's the nature of your position. You need to get your head around that."

"But, I want _everyone_ to be happy."

"I know," Mai answered, raising her head and placing a gentle kiss on his lips, "and I love you for it. But it's kind of naïve to think that will ever happen."

"Every meeting some sort of argument breaks out too. The ministers are like spoiled, rude brats. Maybe I should get rid of them all and start fresh."

Zuko's voice was loud and his features were twisted with frustration. He dragged his free hand down his face as if hoping to wipe away all his anger.

"They can be," Mai agreed. "What were they arguing about today?"

Her narrow gold eyes were filled with curiosity and what looked like mirth. Zuko looked at her questioningly.

"Do you think it's funny?"

"No," she lied and then began to laugh.

It was a deep, throaty sound and no matter how bad a mood Zuko was in, it made him feel good.

"Glad I amuse you," the Fire Lord stated dryly and tried to suppress his own laughter.

He had wanted a serious discussion, wanted to complain and whine, but now the urge had passed. He didn't have to let Mai know that right away, though.

"Aww, poor baby; I don't mean to laugh at you."

She laughed even harder, covering her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand.

"I'll have you know that arguments about the acceptable levels of dress for beaches and festivals as opposed to work are very stressful," Zuko said with mock seriousness.

"_That_ was what the old coots were stressing out about?" Mai shrieked.

"It's_ very_ important to them. There were drawings and charts and everything."

"I wish I had been there," Mai stated. "Agni, that's hilarious."

Zuko's face grew solemn for a moment.

"I like it when you laugh," he noted. "It sounds…beautiful, like you are."

"You're a dork," she replied and gave him a kiss. "I like laughing. I've done more of it in the last few months than I did my entire life before."

"So you're happy, then?"

"Oh, Zuko; _yes_, I'm happy."

"Good; I couldn't stand it if you were sad. And I would suffer through anything to hear your laughter."

"Like I said; dork, but a romantic one."

With that she laughed again and Zuko's own face shone with happiness. Meetings served a purpose after all.


	14. Chapter 14

**Prompt #14: Hope**

Hope Comes from Hard Work

The Fire Nation was changing slowly but surely. Zuko made reform after reform to education, health, the military, industry and other areas of importance. His council didn't always wholly approve of these reforms, and meetings could get heated, but the Fire Lord was determined to alter the whole atmosphere and reputation of his country and the attitudes of its people.

He was thrilled that Mai had taken an avid interest, in her own bored, reticent way, and helped him come up with intelligent, solid presentations and ideas. Zuko honestly didn't know what he would do without her. Neither were experts in any particular field; but they listened to and called upon people who _were_ and read anything they could get their hands on. It was difficult work; but doing it together was rewarding. And they got to spend a lot of time with each other.

"I feel like we've been stuck in this office forever," Mai moaned. "And these reports couldn't get any duller."

"I know, but I need to read them. I want to be informed, Mai. And things will get better. We're making a lot of changes in a short amount of time. Everything will slow down soon."

Mai sighed and went back to reading. She was reclined comfortably on a sofa in Zuko's large office and he was behind his desk. It was a familiar sight to servants, family and friends. Zuko, ink stained fingers and rapidly loosening top knot, earnest expression of concentration on his face, shuffled through paper after paper. He took notes in a special book he kept; jotting down ideas of his own along with his thoughts on the proposals of educators and industrialists, experts in agriculture and health.

Mai's lips moved as she read. Somehow she retained the information better that way. Her dress and makeup and hair were impeccable as always but she gave off a vibe of casualness nonetheless. She didn't take notes, but made the occasional remark to her fiancé. Whenever she spoke, Zuko put down his brush and looked over at her attentively. He loved hearing her voice even when it rhymed off statistics or lists.

"Do you know what we're doing, Mai?" Zuko asked a few minutes later.

"Personally, I'm trying to stave off sleep. What about you?"

The Fire Lord chuckled but his face grew serious again quickly.

"We're giving our people hope. We're giving the world hope."

"That sounds like something Aang would say," Mai observed.

"Yeah, it does. I guess he's rubbing off on me a bit. But it's true. Think about it. The citizens can speak freely now without threat of recrimination. There is no war and we're working toward keeping it that way. The rest of the world won't look at us as a horrible threat anymore. They have hope for a lifetime without fighting as well. And we're doing it together, you and me. Our children will have a legacy."

"And here I thought we were just reading documents," Mai quipped.

Zuko frowned, irritated at Mai's lack of seriousness. Quick to smooth ruffled feathers, Mai placed her papers on the floor, got up, stretched, yawned and then walked over to Zuko's desk. She placed a hand on his cheek and turned his head to face her.

"Hey," she began. "I understand what you're saying and I know that what we're doing is important."

Zuko looked at her with intense gold eyes. Mai paused for a minute and gathered her thoughts.

"Everything you mentioned is wonderful. But I have hopes for _us_, Zuko."

"What are they?" he asked softly.

"I hope that we're always happy together."

Zuko nodded. "We will be," he declared forcefully.

"I hope that we have healthy, well-adjusted kids," Mai continued.

Zuko closed his eyes briefly. The thought of children gave him a rush of joy right alongside a horrible jolt of fear. Sensing his tension, Mai gave him a lingering kiss and ran her hands through his hair. His crown fell to the carpeted floor unnoticed. When they finally broke apart, Mai whispered something else in his ear.

"I think I can guarantee that," Zuko answered with a smirk.


	15. Chapter 15

**Prompt #15: Fear**

Inheritance

Zuko had one constant, gnawing fear. He wouldn't talk about it with anyone but Mai.

"You are _not_ doomed to be your father," Mai insisted for the umpteenth time since the end of the war nearly a year earlier.

"What if I can't control it?" Zuko asked with wide, terrified eyes.

"You're a different person," Mai continued. "You are Zuko, not Ozai."

"But the blood….." Zuko groaned softly.

He'd had the dream again and woken up whimpering, curled into a ball, and sweat soaked. The incidents were more frequent now as the wedding approached and babies would be expected. That coupled with all the pressure and expectations put upon Zuko as Fire Lord produced anxiety unlike any he had ever felt before.

"Come here," Mai ordered softly.

Obediently, Zuko crawled into her arms. She ran cool fingers across his damp brow and then through his tangled mess of hair. Her other hand moved rhythmically across his back. Zuko felt the tension slowly leave his body and his eyes drifted shut.

"Sleepy?" she asked.

"Mmmm," the Fire Lord replied.

"It's okay, I've got you," Mai declared. "Rest now."

* * *

Mai's heart broke every time Zuko awoke from the terror that haunted him. She comforted as best she could and they talked in length about his fear. Logically, Zuko understood that he wasn't his father; he was his own person with his own goals and ambitions, his own flaws and strengths, his own friendships and the powerful love he had for Mai.

Despite the truth that Zuko knew, Ozai shadowed his existence, a dark and evil presence that lurked in corners and rose up whenever the Fire Lord let his guard down. He hated that his father still had any sort of power over him at all. He hated that his father invaded his life still, even though he sat in a dank prison cell day after day.

"How do you feel this morning?" Mai asked as they sat down to breakfast. "You slept soundly after….the nightmare."

"I feel okay," Zuko replied. "Thank you, Mai. If you weren't here, I think I would go crazy."

"Look, we need to resolve this fear you have. We'll be married in a few weeks. And babies will follow soon enough, at least if everyone else has their way."

Zuko grinned. Iroh was looking forward to a little grandniece or grandnephew and was shameless about mentioning his wish.

"You need to tell me about the nightmare."

The Fire Lord's face blanched and his lip trembled. It was too terrible to speak of. What if speaking it made it true?

"I, I can't, Mai."

"Yes, you can," Mai retorted doggedly.

"It's awful," he insisted.

"I don't care. Just tell me. Then we can talk about it."

Zuko thought for a moment and then nodded his assent.

"I kill you," he began bluntly. Mai just looked at him calmly. "You're pregnant, huge…" Mai glared at him. "And then you give birth. It's a boy and I'm so pleased. You're cradling the baby. He's beautiful. You offer him up to me and I take him. You're smiling, Mai, and you look so at peace. Then I raise my fist and make a flame. The flame gets bigger and bigger and fear starts to show on your face. You ask me what I'm doing. You plead to have the baby back. I show no mercy. When I turn around, away from your smoking corpse, I look in the mirror and see Ozai's face instead of my own. 'It's in the blood' he says in a cold, sort of satisfied voice. Then I wake up."

Mai put a hand across his and looked him right in the eyes.

"It's nonsense," she declared firmly. "You would never hurt me. There is no cruelty in you, Zuko. Your father was a bastard. He did unspeakable things to you. And despite _all_ that you went through, look where you are. Look what you've accomplished. Look at the people who love you. Your father never had that."

"But, but his blood runs through my veins. Damn, it scares me sometimes."

"Your mother's blood runs through your veins too. And Iroh is a part of you. Zuko, I promise that none of that dream will come to pass. You are a good person. Murder is not and never will be a part of you."

"I would rather die than hurt you. I would gladly give you up, if it meant your guaranteed safety."

"You are _not_ leaving me again, Zuko. Remember your promise."

That was _Mai's_ secret and deeply buried fear. Three times he had left her behind. She couldn't take a fourth.

"Yes, I remember" he replied sheepishly.

"Do you feel better now that you've told me the dream?"

"Yeah, yeah I do. It's not as frightening when I turn it into words. I just…."

"Stop," Mai demanded firmly. "We're getting married and we'll have beautiful babies. We'll have our problems and our arguments but everything will be fine. I love you, Zuko."

"I know you do," he smiled. "And I wonder how you put up with me sometimes."

"It's easy," Mai replied with her own smile. "No more bad dreams. You have nothing to fear."

* * *

Zuko slept peacefully that night. His dreams were good; Mai was dressed in her wedding finery and she was lovelier than he had ever seen her. She was the loveliest mother to be as well. And their child was an adorable, gurgling bundle that looked exactly like Mai.

It was amazing what opening up to the love of your life could do. He moved closer to Mai's warm body and buried his face in her hair. It smelled good. Smiling, he put an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer.


	16. Chapter 16

**Prompt#16: Love**

Love is…

All her early life, Mai was witness to two contradictory ideas of love. Her mother read silly romantic tales, often aloud to a young Mai, trapped in the nursery, unable to escape the hyperbole and clichés. The stories told of helpless women saved by dragon slaying, firebending and sword wielding men who then scooped the pale skinned, doe eyed females up from the ground, wooed them and married them all within a few days.

Up until the time she was at least nine years old, Mai heard these tales or was dragged off to tacky productions of them. The practical side of Mai couldn't believe that love was truly like that. And besides, her parents didn't act anything like the men and women in the plays and poems. They were distant and unaffectionate for the most part, coming together only for meals and important occasions, and not always those. Where were the burning desire and the need to spend every possible moment with one another? Where was the joy at seeing each other, the happiness in their eyes?

It seemed to an astute young Mai that her parents' marriage was more of an arrangement than anything borne of romance. It made her sad and it made her wonder whether there was any real love in the world.

* * *

When she met Prince Zuko and felt the first stirrings of affection for the boy, Mai wondered if that was love. Her heart beat a little faster whenever she saw him and a warm flush would tint her pale cheeks. Azula accused her of having a crush on the prince. Was a crush love? She wasn't sure. Perhaps it was the beginning of love. Time would tell, she figured in her pragmatic way.

As the years went by and she and Zuko formed a stronger bond, Mai was certain that she cared for the prince a great deal. She enjoyed being near him and shared with the boy things she would share with no one else. Despite her shyness, Mai was comfortable with Zuko. She could sit in silence beside him and just be. He didn't judge or demand anything of her. When they talked, her words actually meant something to Zuko. Mai felt important and worthwhile.

The first time they held hands, it felt like lightning was shooting through her entire body. Zuko's hand was warm and comforting and she felt safe with his fingers wrapped around hers. Was this love?

By the time she was twelve and Zuko was gone, banished from his home and from her, Mai knew that pain was a part of love. She couldn't feel this raw, this wounded, this utterly desolate if she didn't love Zuko. It hurt to think about him, so she pushed his memory down deep. She needed to protect herself.

By the time they were reunited, Mai was a master of hiding her emotions. As soon as she laid eyes on him, they all came rushing to the surface. It was almost shocking to feel them again. Their relationship was more physical now and Mai found that touching Zuko, kissing him said more than her words ever could. Zuko didn't seem to mind and they created their own little world meant only for the two of them. It was all Mai needed. Had their love survived the three years apart?

Mai realized at the Boiling Rock that she would easily give up her life for Zuko's. Despite her anger and confusion at Zuko's actions, she defied Princess Azula, knowing full well the wrath that the younger girl could and would inflict. It didn't matter. Zuko mattered, his life, his mission. If she survived and saw him again, she would tell him of her feelings. Mai loved Zuko still. She was certain of it.

When Mai recalled those stories her mother had read, she laughed. They weren't romances. They were silly tales spun for women who had never experienced real love, for those doomed to arranged marriages that never produced anything but children born punctually at two year intervals. Mai felt sorry for those women and grateful that her life had taken a different turn. Their fate could easily have been hers if it weren't for the golden eyed prince named Zuko.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: This type of drabble is so much fun to write. Hopefully that comes across.

**Prompt #17: Lust**

Need

Mai brought a spoonful of soup to her lips and blew gently on it before putting it in her mouth. She felt Zuko's eyes on her, even from the opposite end of the long table that separated them. The Fire Lord and his Lady were hosting a dinner party for six visiting diplomats along with their wives. That was twelve people between Zuko and Mai. She hated it. Zuko hated it even more.

"Is your food always so spicy?" a perfectly nice older man from the Northern Water Tribe asked the Fire Lord.

It was all Zuko could do to tear his intense gaze from Mai's mouth.

"Sure," he replied distractedly, giving the man a winning smile before turning his attention back to Mai.

Servants removed the soup bowls and brought in a chicken curry, very hot, along with plain rice. Mai pleasantly advised everyone to keep their water nearby. She expertly picked up a thinly sliced bit of chicken with her chopsticks and then looked down at her husband. Seductively, she poked her pink tongue out and ran it along her upper lip before eating the meat. Zuko licked his own lips and then reached for his ice water, taking a big gulp and swallowing hard.

"Lady Mai, what do you and your husband do when you're not busy with duties? All work and no play are no good for anyone," stated a handsome Earth Kingdom woman.

Mai's eyes widened for just a second.

"We have a few hobbies," she replied neutrally. "One of them is often quite vigorous."

"Oh, that's good then," the woman nodded and smiled obliviously. "Young people have lots of energy after all."

"Yes, yes they do," Mai agreed with a smirk that she hid behind her chopsticks.

"I hope that you plan on starting a family soon," the woman continued. "You need a lot of energy to deal with children. Trust me, I know."

'How about right now,' both Mai and Zuko thought.

Their eyes met for a moment, sparks seeming to fly through the air between them. A wall of people had separated Mai and Zuko all day. There hadn't even been time for a kiss and their lust for each other was building to almost unbearable proportions. Zuko moved about uncomfortably in his chair trying to adjust his tightening pants without making it obvious. Mai felt a tingling between her legs and sucked in her breath quietly. They needed to get out of this dinner and soon or else they both might explode.

"We haven't quite decided on that yet," Mai finally answered, pacifying the woman.

"Hmmm, well don't wait too long," she advised in her motherly fashion.

Zuko's face was almost panicked now and Mai had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing.

"You know," the Fire Lady began, "it's a beautiful evening and our gardens look spectacular under the moonlight. Perhaps everyone would enjoy a stroll after dinner."

"That sounds wonderful," the guests all agreed happily.

"Yes, what a great idea," Zuko added. "I think we'll have a servant accompany you outside while my wife and I, um…."

He looked to Mai for help or inspiration.

"My silly husband forgot to send off a very important letter today. In fact, he forgot to write it. I always help Zuko with his correspondence so we'll need to go to his office and get that done. I hope you can forgive us. We shouldn't be long."

A chorus of "certainly," and "of course," and "well, if it's important," rang throughout the dining room. The couple spent the rest of the meal in a sort of delicious agony. Finally, dessert and tea were finished and the group of twelve shuffled out the door and down the hallway, a trusted servant giving a sort of guided tour, pointing out portraits and tapestries. Before long the diplomats had forgotten all about Mai and Zuko.

Meanwhile, the pair made a mad dash for the nearest empty room. A small, heavily curtained parlor fit the bill. Zuko locked the door, whirled around and pushed Mai down on to the floor, covering her entirely with his own body.

"I've wanted you so badly all day," he whispered in her ear before giving it a not so gentle bite.

"Mmmm," Mai moaned in agreement. "Take your damn clothes off."

Zuko complied. He stood up again and ripped off his tunic, putting a small tear in one of the sleeves in his haste. Mai pulled down her own leggings with one hand while untying her sash with another. They were both completely nude within a minute but instead of beginning they just gazed at each other.

"Every time I see you, I wonder how someone so beautiful could be mine," Zuko said, his voice huskier than usual.

He cupped Mai's cheek and then proceeded to kiss her breathless.

* * *

An hour later, they joined their guests in the garden. It was completely dark out but pretty little lanterns lined the garden paths; it looked like something from a romantic tale.

"Finished the _letter_, I see," the Earth Kingdom woman who had talked to Mai at dinner noted. "You've got a loose piece of hair there, dear."

She reached over with her hand and indicated the bit of shiny black sticking to Mai's slightly reddened cheek.

"_Letter writing_ is hard work isn't it?" she asked with a wink.

"It certainly can be," Mai acknowledged and blessed the woman with one of her brightest smiles.


	18. Chapter 18

**Prompt 18: Truth**

Open Book

Zuko's face and body always told the truth of his emotions and state of mind. His eyes were mirrors of his feelings, reflecting everything outward for Mai to see. It helped that she knew him well and could read just about every movement and every gesture that he made. Zuko was like her favorite book; she had every line committed to memory and loved them all with an intensity that sometimes surprised her.

He had never been good at hiding things, whether something broken that he didn't want to admit to or his anger toward Azula. As an adult he was no better at it. If he _did_ try to cover something up or even outright lie, it was a disaster. Mai found those moments strangely endearing; not that he was attempting to lie but that he looked so adorably flustered every time he did.

Certainly, Mai felt secure in Zuko's love. When he said 'I love you' she knew that he meant it. When he asked her to marry him, she knew he meant that too. And when he commented on how she looked, the admiration in his eyes and suggestive tilt to his lips let her know just how honest he was being.

* * *

She always asked Zuko for his opinion regarding an outfit for a special occasion. He had an innate good fashion sense though he would never admit that outright. So when it came time for their engagement party, Mai had a myriad of dresses sent to their rooms and snatched Zuko away from his paperwork for the afternoon.

"You're mine for the rest of the day," she stated.

"I'm always yours," Zuko replied reflexively.

Mai looked into his eyes and saw the truth there. She smiled and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"I know," she said. "But I need you to help me choose a gown now."

"Let's see them," he replied.

With remarkable patience, he waited as Mai tried on dress after dress, making comments about each. Mai already had a favorite picked out but she wanted to see if Zuko would choose the same one.

"What do you think?' she asked after she was dressed in her own clothes again.

Mai sat down on the bed beside her fiancé and looked up at him.

"Well, you look amazing no matter what you wear, or if you're wearing nothing," he ended suggestively. "But, I think you look best in the second dress; the deep red looks good with your dark hair and your pale skin. And the way it fell flattered your figure. And the detailing was lovely."

"Yes," Mai agreed. "That's my favorite too. Thanks, Zuko."

"Let me remind you," the Fire Lord said sternly. "If you ever tell anyone about any of this I'll have to do something drastic."

Mai giggled, throwing herself back on the bed and completely giving in to her mirth.

"Now you're _not _telling the truth," Mai said through her laughter. "You like that I ask you for advice. Admit it. And you won't do anything if I tell, say, Sokka, about your little gift for fashion."

Zuko flushed and didn't even bother trying to contradict Mai's words.

"I would prefer it if you didn't tell. How is _that_?" Zuko asked with frustration.

"I won't," she whispered. "It's our secret."

* * *

A week later as the couple celebrated their engagement with all their friends and family, Zuko turned to Mai and whispered, "I could never so much as glance at another woman. No one else can come close to you. You look so lovely, Mai. And the dress is perfect."

His face was open and earnest and Mai knew that Zuko's words reflected how he truly felt. The Fire Lord, her love, was virtually incapable of deception. She hoped that nothing ever changed that.


	19. Chapter 19

**Prompt #19: Lies**

Mask

"Do you miss my brother?" Azula asked one day with a wicked smile.

It was only a few weeks since Prince Zuko's banishment and Mai _did _miss him; her pain at his absence was so intense that sometimes she felt as if her heart, her very soul, was being ripped from her body.

"No," she replied dully with an expressionless face.

Azula peered closely at Mai. Satisfied, the princess moved back.

"Do you think he deserves what he got?" the firebending prodigy questioned Mai further.

"The Fire Lord is always right," Mai stated with the same even voice.

Inside, the ebony haired girl was seething. She wanted to shout. She wanted to rage. But she kept her hardened mask in place. She'd been wearing it for years now and each day, each month that went by, it grew more solid, almost as if it were a physical object. Mai secretly feared that she may never be able to remove it.

"Hmmmm, I would be very upset if I found out that you've been telling me lies," Azula threatened.

"You can trust me, Azula," Mai asserted with just the right amount of enthusiasm. "Zuko," Agni it hurt to say his name, "is out of my life. I never give him a thought."

* * *

"So, my brother, the traitor, has gotten himself imprisoned at The Boiling Rock. What an idiot. I think we should go see him. Wouldn't you like that, Mai?" the princess asked. "I think you deserve a little revenge."

The black haired girl shrugged impassively.

"Whatever," she replied.

Inside, she was filled with sorrow and longing and righteous anger. Looking at her face and the way she leaned casually against the wall, no one would ever know how she really felt. She was a master of deception. She was the queen of lies. Her survival depended on that very skill.

* * *

Mai couldn't lie to Zuko, though, at least not about anything that really mattered. One look into those expressive eyes undid her every time. And he _wanted_ to hear what she had to say. He wanted to hear _her _truth. No one had ever done that for her before. No one had ever cared enough.

More importantly, she didn't _want_ to lie to him. She'd had enough of relationships based on fear and intimidation and falsehoods. With Zuko she finally had a chance to be herself; no covering up, no pushing down, no mask.


	20. Chapter 20

**Prompt #20: Clean**

Life Lessons

"Do it, Mai, or I'll burn your dress and then your mother will be _really _angry."

The little girl with red ribbons in her hair and a small knife tucked up inside her sleeve hesitated once again before picking up a handful of mud from the slowly drying puddle in the garden. She could feel the brown slur ooze between her fingers and beneath her always meticulously clean nails. With one last almost defiant glare at the princess, Mai tiptoed forward and then around the trunk of the gnarled apple tree that was in full blossom. Careful not to look at Zuko directly, she flung the wet mess in his general direction and then ran back to Azula.

"What was that for?" she heard the prince call out in a hurt voice.

The boy, who was one year older than Mai, walked angrily into view and locked eyes with her. Mud was dripping down one side of his handsome face and onto his crisp red tunic. When he saw Azula there too, the anger faded from his expression and was replaced by something that looked almost like sympathy.

"Mai," he croaked.

She said nothing but implored him with her narrow gold eyes. Zuko nodded so slightly that Mai almost thought she had imagined it. Meanwhile, Azula watched the silent exchange with great interest. Finally Mai worked up the courage to speak.

"I need to clean my hands. May I go wash up, Azula?"

"Go ahead," the princess said with a wave. "And take Zuko with you. He needs to change into clean clothes and wash his face."

"Stop acting like you're my boss," the prince shouted. "You're not."

His face was red with rage but Azula just giggled and then gave Mai a little push toward the prince. Zuko stomped off and the black haired girl trailed behind. Once out of Azula's earshot, the prince stopped and waited for Mai to catch up.

"I'm sorry," Mai whispered.

"It's okay. I know that Azula made you do it."

"She knows that my mom gets mad when I'm not clean."

"What does your mom do?" Zuko asked in hushed tones.

The word 'mom' invoked both warm memories and more recent painful ones. He fought back the tears that always threatened to fall when he thought about his missing mother.

"She, she makes me feel like I'm bad," Mai replied in a rare confessional moment.

"Well that's stupid! It's just dirt," Zuko replied.

The reply made Mai feel better somehow. Zuko reached over and tugged on her hand. She felt cleaner already.

* * *

"Mai, dear, cleanliness is essential for a noblewoman. People look at you; they look to you for an example of what all people should be. Do you think they want to see oily hair or grime on your clothes or food on your face? "

Mai didn't answer.

"They don't," her mother continued. "It isn't proper."

Mai looked down at her nails to hide the frown on her face. She hated these stupid lectures; most of the time she hated her mother too.

"You're getting old enough now for me to talk about another form of cleanliness. You must keep your body pure, Mai. Don't let boys touch you no matter what they say. Prince Zuko won't want to marry you if you're not clean."

Mai blushed at the mention of his name but craftily hid it with a fake cough into her wide sleeve.

"Do you understand what I mean?" the woman asked irritably.

"Yes, mother," Mai replied blandly.

"Fine; you may go visit Azula now. Remember what I've said."

As soon as Mai had a moment alone with Zuko she sidled up to him and pressed her shoulder into his. It was a bold move, but Zuko appeared happy with it. He felt very warm and very solid and Mai moved even closer. One of the prince's fingers coiled around hers and the girl smiled.

'Mother never said anything about Zuko touching me,' she thought to herself and smirked. 'Besides, he likes me whether I'm clean or not.'


	21. Chapter 21

**Maiko 100: Prompt #21: Dirty**

Comfort

Zuko trudged back down the stone pathway that led away from the capitol city's prison where his father, former Fire Lord Ozai, sat ranting in his cold, damp stone cell. He visited his father three times every week. Each time that he went, strictly for the purpose of extracting information about his missing mother, Zuko felt dirty. The look of rage and near madness and crushing defeat in his dull gold eyes, the horrible things that he said, the murderous glares that he threw Zuko all combined to push the young man into a morass of filth and despair.

He quickened his steps and pulled his cloak close over his simple clothes. With his hood up, he looked like an ordinary citizen out for a walk along the city streets. He kept his head down and no one looked twice as he hurried along. All he wanted now was to get back to Mai. After every one of his nighttime visits, Mai waited for him in their bedroom with a soothing pot of tea and cool, pale hands that stroked and comforted, pushing away the dirt that seemed to cling to him.

When he finally opened their bedroom door and saw Mai's lovely face, the weight he carried grew lighter.

"Here," she said and patted the spot next to her on the sofa.

He sank gratefully into the plush cushions and leaned against his fiancée. She ran long fingers through his hair and whispered sweet words in his ear. When he calmed a bit more, she gave him a gentle nudge.

"I'll pour the tea," she said and proceeded to fill two cups with an aromatic jasmine brew.

They sipped in silence, content just to be with each other. Zuko would talk when he was ready. He always did and Mai was patient. She felt no need to push and prod.

"It was bad," he finally said in a hoarse whisper.

Mai nodded and gave him her full attention.

"I, I think he's going mad, like Azula. The look in his eyes, Mai, and the things he said about my mother…I've never heard such terrible words."

She reached out and touched his arm, rubbing in slow, tiny circles. He placed a hand over hers and looked at down at them, joined together. That was all he needed to feel better; that was all he needed to wash the dirt away.


	22. Chapter 22

**Maiko 100: Prompt #22: Hands**

System of Touch

Zuko's hands were fine boned and delicate looking for a man's. Their pale skin was smooth and soft except for the small calluses on the pads of his fingers and the insides of his palms. Years of practice with his dual swords had created _them_. Mai liked the feel of those calluses. When he stroked the tender skin of her inner thigh or dragged eager fingers down her breasts, the slight roughness enhanced the sensations she felt.

When he held her hand in his, and they just sat, the warmth from his skin and his flesh seeped through into hers. Sometimes she pressed both her palms tight against Zuko's and then looked at the four hands together. Hers were smaller and even more delicate, but with surprising strength and agile quickness. They had tiny scars, all old now, hardened white lines instead of pink, vulnerable looking marks.

Zuko would kiss those almost invisible scars, running his tongue along the ridges and then placing another kiss to the middle of her palm. He loved Mai's hands. When they cupped his cheek or rested on his shoulder or urged him to completion, switching from gentle, fleeting touches to firm tugs, they felt good.

It seemed sometimes that their hands said far more and said those things far more eloquently than any of their most sincere words ever could. Zuko's hand pressed to the small of her back and pulling her gently to him said, 'I'm protecting you, Mai, whether you need it or not.' Mai's hand reaching under a table to find Zuko's thigh said, 'I know that you're angry, but calm down. I can take care of everything.' When they felt a sudden, powerful surge of affection for each other they reached out, grabbed hold and intertwined their fingers, so two hands became one. Zuko's hands in her hair always led to making love. Mai's hands in _his _hair meant comfort.

Their system of touch brought them together and held them together, strengthening their relationship with each day that passed, with each fierce squeeze and with each loving caress.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Ah, the things you can say about hair.

**Maiko 100: Prompt #23: Hair**

Sweet Dreams

He dreamed of Mai every night. He saw her face and heard her voice but what Zuko pictured most vividly was her hair. He could almost feel its silky smoothness and the scent of vanilla that always clung to it seemed to permeate the air around him. It was almost as if Mai lay beside him, her black hair cascading down her back, making a barrier of exquisite beauty between them. As he shifted in his bedroll by the fire, Zuko's hands unconsciously reached out for the dark, silky locks.

When he woke and found himself alone, a fresh wave of grief and loss hit him. His new comrades slept close by in their _own_ bedrolls or sleeping bags but they weren't Mai. They didn't even know about Mai or his relationship with her. He couldn't say anything to them. His feelings were too private, too intense and his ache at her absence might consume him if he gave voice to it.

So, he closed his eyes again and let his thoughts flow and drift like a meandering river, hoping that once again the world of dreams would provide for him what his waking world could not. Slowly, sleep claimed Zuko for the second time that night and he found himself on Mai's bed, watching her unpin her hair. She rolled her eyes at him but he could tell that his admiration pleased her. The pretty blush on her cheeks was a giveaway.

"May I brush it?" he asked tentatively.

She held out the silver brush and he took that as an invitation. Zuko got up from her bed and stood behind her, taking the proffered tool and then running it gently through the thick mane.

"One hundred strokes," she reminded him softly.

Zuko did it with pleasure, taking his time, delaying the inevitable.

"One hundred," he finally said and put the brush down on her vanity.

Her hair shone in the light from the wall sconces. Zuko reached out and touched. He grabbed hold of some and rubbed it between his fingers.

"Hey, you just finished brushing it," Mai protested weakly.

She enjoyed the sensation as much as Zuko did.

"I can't help myself," the young man smiled. "I wish you would wear it down sometimes."

"Then you would get used to it," she teased, "and wouldn't appreciate it as much."

"Fine," Zuko pouted and went back to Mai's bed, stretching out invitingly.

He moaned in his sleep.

* * *

After the war finally ended and after Mai and Zuko enjoyed their hurried reunion, and after the coronation, the young couple finally had some real time alone. The first thing Zuko did was reach for Mai's hair, let loose the three buns and run his hands through the glorious length.

"I figured you would do that," Mai smirked.

Zuko placed a teasing kiss on the tip of her nose.

"You know me so well," he replied.


	24. Chapter 24

**Maiko 100: Prompt #24: Eyes**

Like Father, Like…

"The physician confirmed it," Mai told her husband, Fire Lord Zuko. "I'm definitely pregnant."

She watched his face carefully, a smile playing at her own lips, causing them to practically twitch. Zuko had wanted a child for awhile now but Mai had continuously put it off. It wasn't that she didn't want a baby with Zuko, it was that she wasn't quite ready to be a mother. Zuko was patient and let her determine the timing. When she finally told him that she was ready to start trying, Zuko almost exploded with excitement. Now that she finally _was_ pregnant, he seemed awfully silent.

"Did you hear me?" she asked and stepped closer to Zuko.

He grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her in for a tight hug.

"You're pregnant," he whispered in her ear.

His voice was full of awe and a sort of quiet joy.

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, her voice muffled against his strong shoulder.

"When will the baby come?"

"In about seven months," Mai replied.

"I'm a father; well, sort of," he grinned. "You'll be the best mother, Mai. I know it."

"I highly doubt _that_," she drawled. "But I'll do fine."

* * *

As the weeks and months passed and Mai's belly grew larger and larger, she often imagined what their child would look like. Boy or girl, Mai didn't really care but she wanted the baby to have Zuko's eyes.

When he was very young and Mai first met him, Zuko's eyes, a beautiful honey gold colour, shone with the very joy of being alive. They had sparkled even more brightly when Mai was around. When his mother, Ursa, vanished into the night, part of the light in Zuko's eyes dimmed. Little Mai missed it and tried anything to bring it back. Occasionally, she saw brief flashes of it; when he proudly demonstrated a new firebending move for her or when Mai hit the target every time with her knives.

Mai never saw what Zuko's eyes looked like when he was burned and banished. But she often imagined them full of hurt and pain and anger. His emotions always showed so vividly on his face and especially in his eyes. Sometimes it was difficult to keep up with them.

When they finally met again in Ba Sing Se, and Mai looked deep into those orbs of gold, something was missing, something had died. She wanted nothing more than to see it again, to make Zuko whole. Mai tried for those months back in the Fire Nation. Once again, she would get the occasional glimpse of the old Zuko, before frustration or anger took him over again. A small part of Mai was proud that it was only _she_ who could bring that special sparkle back. Another small part of her felt inadequate because she couldn't make it stay.

The light came back after the war along with some things that Mai had never seen in Zuko's eyes before; peace, contentment and true happiness, the kind that wasn't fleeting. She liked to think that their reunion and their life together was at least a partial cause.

"You're everything to me," he said at least once a day.

Okay, she was more than a partial cause. She was the main one and Mai was thrilled and proud and so very happy herself.

* * *

On the day of their first child's birth, something new showed in Zuko's eyes and Mai suspected that it showed in her own as well. A fierce protectiveness combined with a bit of fear and an overwhelming love shone from her husband's eyes.

Mai cradled the newborn closely and waited. Zuko stood nearby, patiently looking on, knowing that his turn would soon come. Finally the infant opened its eyes. Mai felt tears well in her own.

"Zuko, here, take your daughter."

The new father reached out for the warm bundle and held the baby girl nervously. She was beautiful.

"Look," Mai exclaimed happily. "She has your eyes."


	25. Chapter 25

**Maiko 100: Prompt #25: Skin**

Contrast

Pale, unblemished skin was the traditional mark of a noblewoman. That 'fact' was one of many that Mai's mother pummeled her with from the time she was a small girl. If the sun was shining brightly, and Mai wanted to play outside, she was told to keep to the shade of the tree in their back yard. If they visited the beach on Ember Island, the woman hovered over Mai with a wide red umbrella, scolding the child every time she left its protective cover.

The truth was that Mai's skin didn't burn and didn't darken in the sun. She hadn't always followed her mother's instructions faithfully and had often enjoyed sitting in the warmth of a spring afternoon, the sun caressing her upturned face. She was lucky. Her skin was pale and smooth and perfect, no matter what she did.

And Zuko loved her skin. He especially loved the feel of it after Mai's bath. It was silkier than usual and almost shone in the evening light of their room. The smell of expensive bath oils clung to it and sometimes little drops of water that she missed when toweling off, beaded on it, looking like early morning dew clinging precariously to the grass.

"It's funny, isn't it, that someone like you, who despises so much about nobility, is the archetypal noblewoman," Zuko observed one night as he lay in bed beside his wife.

"Did you just use the word 'archetypal'?" she asked.

Her eyebrows were quirked up in that way she had and her mouth was twisted into a smirk.

"Yeah, I read," Zuko replied, looking affronted. "You're not the only one with a good vocabulary."

"Okay, okay," she placated the Fire Lord. "I suppose it is sort of funny. What made you think that?"

"You're just so perfect looking, Mai. Your skin is, your whole body, it's…beautiful. You're what every other noblewoman wants to be."

Mai actually blushed, just a little, and the ethereal white of her skin turned a pretty pink.

"See, even when you blush, you look amazing. Some women get all blotchy looking, but not you."

"Enough about my skin," Mai groaned. "I'm glad that you like it but can we talk about something else? What about yours?"

Zuko's expression grew momentarily dark as he recalled things best forgotten.

"Mine's not worth talking about," he grumbled.

His hand reached upward to his scar, an automatic gesture that he'd been performing for years. Mai's hand stroked the mark on his chest and then found the many little scars that were sprinkled on his limbs and torso. All were received honorably in battle or practice and all represented something important in Zuko's life.

"I like all the marks on your skin," Mai insisted. "They give you character. They show that you've lived."

"I suppose," he agreed reluctantly.

"Sometimes perfect is boring," she continued.

"Not in your case," Zuko smiled and began to kiss every inch of that perfect skin.


	26. Chapter 26

**Maiko 100: Prompt #26: Blood**

All She Could See

Fire Lady Mai was in the palace gardens, clipping her favorite flowers. The bright yellow lilies lay like bits of sunshine in her basket. She laughed to herself. A few years ago, the cheerful flowers would have been her last choice. But, people change, especially when love is in the picture. And the love she shared with Zuko was a strong one. It wasn't perfect, but it was close. Mai couldn't ask for more than what she had with the Fire Lord. She was happy.

It was quiet in the garden yet a steady hum of low noises invaded Mai's ears. Insects buzzed and chirped, birds sang and the breeze blew, rustling leaves and the long, ornamental grasses that populated the colourful beds. She inhaled deeply, letting the various scents tickle her nose. When she had enough lilies, Mai went back inside to look for Zuko.

The flowers were for the room where their lunch would soon be served. Before walking to her husband's office, Mai found a lovely vase, filled it with cool water and arranged the flowers.

"There," she said with satisfaction.

She put them on the small table's centre and admired the affect for a moment before heading off to Zuko's private office, a place of both torture and peace for him; he liked the solitude but hated the paperwork.

The door was slightly ajar. Mai frowned for a moment. Zuko liked the door closed, always. He was face down on the desk as though he were taking a nap. His dark hair was loose and covered his face completely. He must have pulled his topknot out shortly after he arrived in his office. Mai smirked. He hated that topknot with a passion.

"Wake up," she whispered as she glided over to the desk.

She placed a kiss on his head and then poked him gently in the shoulder.

"Hey," she whispered again. "Zuko?"

He didn't answer. Mai's heart began to race and panic filled her. With shaking hands, she pulled on his arm, lifting him upward. His body flopped back against the chair and it was then that Mai saw the blood. A large, already sticky, drying pool of it discoloured the desk, soaking the documents that Zuko must have been reading when he was attacked.

She turned to him then and ripped open his stained robes, searching for the wound. It was on his chest, far too close to his heart. Mai moaned low in her throat and reached for the bell on the desk. She rang it and rang it until a servant appeared.

"Get the physician," she hissed.

Tears streamed down her face now and her right cheek was smeared with blood.

"My, my lady," the young woman stuttered.

The servant's brown eyes were wide with shock and she stood, stuck in place, rooted to the rich red carpet.

"Go," Mai shrieked. "He's dying."

She went, holding up her robes and running down the hallway, screaming all the way.

Mai placed her ear against Zuko's chest again. She could hear his heart, but the beating was sluggish and seemed to almost stop more than once.

"Idiot," she whispered hoarsely. "Who did this to you?"

The physician for the royal family rushed into the room a few minutes later along with another servant. He pushed Mai aside and examined the Fire Lord.

"Let's get him onto the sofa," he ordered.

The servant and the physician lifted Zuko and carried over him to the sofa, placing him down gently. The late morning sun poured in through the wide window and lit up the wounded man's face. He looked pale and still, dead, and Mai began to tremble. She wailed then like a distraught child and moved to her husband, burying her face in his hair.

"My lady, we need to work now," the physician said firmly.

"I'm not leaving," she snarled. "You can't make me."

Not bothering to argue, the old man added water to a vial and poured it into Zuko's mouth, forcing him to swallow.

"What is that?" Mai asked sharply.

"It's water with special herbs to help his body make blood," he answered. "Now, we need a blanket. We can't let him get too cold."

The servant bolted out of the room and came back with two warm blankets. Mai spread them tenderly over her husband.

"The blade just missed his heart, my lady. He's very lucky."

"Lucky," Mai repeated.

More servants were crowded around the doorway now along with some guards. They tried to get a look at the fallen Fire Lord. Mai looked up. Her eyes were narrowed and hard. The servants left immediately but one of the guards hovered.

"What do you want?" Mai asked harshly. "Why weren't you here to protect him? Why didn't you stop whoever did this?"

"We stopped someone, my lady, someone who looked suspicious. It's one of the cleaning staff."

"Lock him up," the Fire Lady ordered. "I'll deal with him later. Now go!"

The doctor administered another dose of the 'medicine' and Mai thought she saw a bit of colour return to Zuko's cheeks.

"Are you done?" she asked they physician.

"There's not much else I can do, except keep an eye on him."

"I'll call you if something changes," Mai stated. "I want to be alone with him now."

"But, my lady…."

"Is he going to die?" she asked in a broken voice, sounding like a little girl.

"I'm confident that he'll live," the old man said with a hopeful smile.

"Go then, please."

"As you wish; I'll be in the next room."

"Close the door," Mai demanded.

When she was alone with her husband, she lay beside him, pressing her body to his, wrapping her arms lovingly around him, willing her warmth into his flesh. Mai began to cry again. All she could see was the blood.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: I was going to write some 'profound' (tongue in cheek) piece about Mai's metaphorical mask but decided to go for some Maiko fluff instead. Hope you enjoy it!

**Maiko 100: Prompt #27: Mask**

The Next Generation

Everyone looked forward to the Fire Festival. It was held in winter, offered as a sort of respite from the 'cold' weather, the fewer hours of sunshine and the general gloom of the season. Mai and Zuko, Fire Lady and Fire Lord, attended every year, mingling with the crowds in Capitol City, guards discreetly following, some dressed as ordinary citizens, and keeping sharp eyes on everyone. Most loved their new leader, but there were always those that despised and rejected change, even change for the better.

Zuko was especially excited this year. Mai was pregnant, hugely pregnant, with their first child and the Fire Lord described everything in colourful detail to the unborn baby.

"I'm going to buy your mother some fire flakes. They're her favorite. I wonder if you've developed a taste for them too. She's certainly eaten enough of them."

Mai rolled her eyes and rubbed her stomach.

"Yes, your father_ is_ insane. Don't mind him," she whispered.

Zuko just grinned like an idiot and grabbed hold of Mai's hand. True to his word, he purchased a huge sac of fire flakes which Mai dug into with enthusiasm.

"I told you," Zuko said in the general direction of Mai's abdomen. "Your mom can't get enough of them."

They stopped to watch a performance that was gathering quite a crowd. On stage was the Blue Spirit doing battle with evil looking Fire Nation soldiers all wearing the frightening helmets and skull shaped face protection that were no longer permitted. Commander Zhao paraded smugly across the stage, confident of his victory. Behind them all, the Avatar stood in chains. He called to the Blue Spirit, asking for his help. The performer, who was quite talented, both Mai and Zuko agreed, whirled about the stage with the grace of a dancer, knocking over the soldiers and finally defeating Zhao before rescuing the young boy with a glaringly bright blue arrow painted on his forehead. The crowd burst into loud rounds of applause and the performers took their bows.

"That's not quite how it happened," Zuko said to Mai as they moved on.

"So I've heard," she replied dryly.

It wasn't until after their marriage that Zuko told Mai about his exploits as the Blue Spirit. He had put that part of his life behind him at Lake Laogai and rarely even thought about it. Aang's spontaneous storytelling one night let the 'secret' out. The Avatar went into great detail about Zuko's infiltration of the huge Fire Nation stronghold and his daring rescue. That's how Mai came to know about her husband's other identity. She'd heard rumors of the Blue Spirit in her travels through the Earth Kingdom with Azula and Ty Lee. But they hadn't interested her.

"Do you miss it?" she asked after a long pause.

Zuko was looking at some earrings, his hand hovering over the selection of pretty pieces. He thought carefully before answering.

"Sometimes, but I have much more important things in my life now."

"Good answer," Mai smirked.

Zuko made his selection and paid, pocketing the tiny box.

"What did you get?" the Fire Lady questioned her husband.

"You'll find out," he grinned.

They continued their tour. Zuko's arm was slung comfortably around Mai's shoulders now and she leaned into him just a little bit. Older women who passed by gave them soft, affectionate looks and chattered amongst themselves about the great romance of Mai and Zuko. Men eyed Mai appreciatively and then turned envious looks upon their Fire Lord. Neither one took any notice. They were too caught up in the joy of being with each other.

When a group of boisterous children burst through the crowd and ran giggling by Zuko and Mai, they shared a look that said, 'It won't be long now.' Eventually they came to a stand that sold an incredible variety of masks. _Most _represented figures in Fire Nation folklore but there were at least a dozen replicas of Zuko's Blue Spirit mask.

The Fire Lord looked into Mai's eyes and then down at her belly. He picked up a grinning blue and white mask, leaving some coins on the stand.

"For the next generation," he explained with a shrug.


	28. Chapter 28

**Maiko 100: Prompt #28: Naked**

Bare Souls

"Hey," Zuko said as Mai entered their chambers. "How was your dinner with the girls?"

"Good," Mai replied blandly. "Toph got drunk, Katara disapproved and Suki found it all amusing."

"So, it was the usual," the Fire Lord grinned.

"Exactly," Mai replied.

She sat down at her dressing table and removed her jewelry and hair combs. Taking her brush, Mai ran it through her beautiful raven hair. Zuko watched her go through her before bed routine every night. He never tired of it.

"Are you sleepy?" he asked.

"A bit," Mai said and then yawned.

She stood up and began to remove her dress, the rich burgundy fabric rustling as she carefully pulled it down, stepped out of it and placed it on a chair. Mai's flawless pale skin was almost completely exposed now. She smirked at Zuko and slipped out of her bindings, revealing herself entirely before grabbing a short silk robe and wrapping it around her slender frame.

"I'll be out in a few minutes," she informed her husband.

"I'll be waiting," he stated.

Zuko decided to remove his sleep pants and then crawled naked onto their enormous bed. He pushed the sheets and blankets down with his feet and lay uncovered. When Mai emerged from the bathroom she let her robe drop to the floor and then joined him, placing her head in the crook of his neck.

They were comfortable being naked in front of each other, naked in every way. Each inch of the other's body had been traced by fingers, stroked, kissed, tickled and held. There was nothing unknown anymore. When they lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, wrapped up together snuggly and sharing heat, their breathing evened out, taking on the same rhythm. Their hearts beat in time and they were as close to being one as it was possible to get.

With Zuko, Mai learned to bare herself. She learned to be vulnerable and expose those thoughts and feelings she instinctively pushed far away into some dark and cobwebbed filled corner of her mind. It was exhilarating and terrifying both at once. And Zuko took what she gave. He took it willingly and with pleasure, encouraging her expression, urging her on. Mai loved him for it.

Love; the first time she used that word, it was like a vault opened up and everything came spilling out. Zuko's silly grin and his tight embrace were her rewards for standing naked before him. They were everything she could ever want.

It was different for Zuko. His anger and rage and passion always flowed freely, on display for Mai to see and experience. She rarely had to prod some worry or upset out of him. As soon as he saw her, Zuko let loose. He just couldn't help himself. Zuko was almost perpetually naked. Occasionally, Mai wished that he would get dressed.


	29. Chapter 29

**Maiko 100: Prompt #29: Clothing**

Intimate Moments

There was something incredibly erotic about watching Mai dress. Certainly it was erotic watching her undress too; but when she put on layer after layer of the Fire Nation's best quality silks, taking the time to make certain that everything was smooth and straight, that the sash was tied perfectly and the robes hung just right, Zuko couldn't keep his eyes off her.

"_Your_ outfit is hanging in the wardrobe," Mai reminded the Fire Lord. "I suggest you put it on soon unless you intend on going to the banquet with just your underwear."

"Oh," he said flatly.

He tore his gaze reluctantly away from the fine figure she cut and heaved his body up off the bed. His own outfit had been specially made for the night's festivities. It wasn't often that representatives from all nations were at the palace at once and Mai had persuaded him to get something new. It was simple and understated, much like the clothing that Mai preferred, and combined classic black with a gold sash and gold trimmed sleeves.

"Here, let me help you," Mai giggled as she watched her husband struggle with the folds of the robe.

With expert fingers she tucked and tied, fussed and fiddled until everything was perfect. Zuko didn't mind. In fact, he loved when Mai helped him dress and sometimes over exaggerated his incompetence just so she would sigh that exasperated sigh of hers and move behind him, her arms stretching around his body, her sweet breath warm on his neck. It always reminded him of that day after Sozin's Comet, when Mai came back to him. Her subtly intimate gestures then had told him that everything between them was alright. That memory was one of his fondest. Who could blame him for wanting to re-enact the moment?

Mai didn't. She enjoyed coming to Zuko's aid as much as he enjoyed her help. The same memory was precious to her.

"You look very, very handsome," Mai stated as she stood back and stared lingeringly at her work. "The robes really suit you."

"Thanks," he replied shyly and blushed despite their years of togetherness. "You are beyond words. Your clothing is better because of you, because you choose to wear it."

Zuko could be a stumbling fool sometimes and sometimes he said the clumsiest things. But then there were moments like this, when his romantic side took over and his words were almost poetic. They were rare and she held closely onto each one.

"That's sweet," she stated softly and then kissed him, her lips lingering for just a second.

"Shall we go?" Zuko asked and held out his hand for her.

Mai took it, wrapping her fingers loosely around his warmer ones.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: I plan to write a second installment for 'Spirits' sometime soon. It will be far darker in tone than this one (because I have the urge to write something angsty and depressing)**

**Maiko 100: Prompt #30: Spirits (Part 1)**

**_Better Safe than Sorry_**

"They're insisting," Zuko pleaded with his wife. "Can't you just go along with it?"

Mai sighed and nodded her head. She hated the fuss the sages made when a baby was due to come into the world. But it was tradition for them to invoke the spirits and request their special protection for the unborn child. It seemed silly to Mai, superstitious clap trap but Zuko, who was normally not interested in spirits one way or another, seemed almost obsessed.

"Fine, whatever," she said and waved her hand dismissively as if sending the whole idea adrift on the breeze she created.

"Thanks," Zuko replied gratefully and planted a kiss on her forehead, then her lips.

"Yeah, yeah, you can go now, Zuko. I need to have a bath. My back is killing me."

"Do you want me to fill the bath for you and heat the water? I know just how you like it."

"Go!" she ordered. "Stop fussing. You have some work to do somewhere, don't you?"

Zuko actually looked hurt for a moment. Then he bit his lip and thought.

"I suppose I could find something," he agreed. "But I'll be back soon."

"I figured," Mai stated and rolled her pretty gold eyes.

Just as she thought, Zuko came back to their rooms about an hour later, ostensibly to inform her of the ceremony's time; really, though, he wanted to check on her.

"It should have been done months ago," Zuko moaned. "I hope it still works."

"Look, Zuko, the baby is still inside me. It will work," she said firmly, then muttered something under her breath about the whole thing being ridiculous.

"I suppose," the Fire Lord mused. "Oh, I brought you some fire flakes, your favorite flavor."

"Agni, this baby is going to be born breathing fire," Mai quipped, but she snatched the bag anyway and began to eat.

Her long ebony hair was still wet from the bath and her pale skin had that pinkish tone it took on after it had been submerged in hot water for a long time.

"Let's hope so," Zuko said. "I mean, not literally, 'cause that might hurt you, but you know what I mean."

Mai just stared at him with a bemused look and went back to eating her flakes. One hand rested on her prominent stomach while the other dug into the sac that sat beside her on the sofa. Zuko moved closer and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"It won't be long now," Zuko began. "I still can't believe that we're having a baby."

He reached out and carefully touched her stomach, caressing the hard mound as if it were the most precious thing in the entire world; and it was, at least to him and to Mai. As his hand rested there, fingers moving in a soothing circular motion, his face suddenly lit up.

"She kicked," he said with wonder. "Did you feel it?"

"No," Mai replied sarcastically. "She's inside me, but I can't feel a thing."

She glimpsed the wounded look in her husband's eyes and her face softened.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I can't seem to stop the sarcasm today."

He didn't say anything but looked briefly into her eyes, communicating his acceptance silently.

"She did it again," he said with wonder.

The fact was that the baby had been moving around actively for months already. But every time Zuko felt the strong thrust of a foot or the punch of a tiny fist, he gazed upon Mai's belly with something akin to absolute joy.

"Yeah," Mai said neutrally. "She did."

* * *

Two days later three Fire Sages, free now to adhere to their true purpose of protecting the Avatar rather than pledging loyalty to the Fire Lord, entered the ceremonial chambers of the Fire Nation palace. Mai, dressed in beautiful robes of scarlet and gold sat on a well cushioned chair, her hands hanging down by her sides. Zuko stood beside her and beckoned the sages forward.

"I'm so glad that you've agreed to this, my lady," Shyu, the head sage spoke. "The spirits have more value than most people give them."

"Doesn't mean I like it," she retorted, but her words had no real bite and Shyu just smiled.

Fire Lady Mai's sarcastic humor and stinging honesty were well known around the palace and were becoming something of a legend throughout the nation as well. She balanced the more intense and earnest Fire Lord very well.

"Let's begin now," Shyu suggested.

Another sage lit a gold vessel that contained some sort of smelly herb. Mai wrinkled her nose and bit a comment back, placing a hand over her mouth to hold the words back. She really didn't pay attention to the rest, just watched the expressions on Zuko's face. When it was done, the sages slipped quietly from the room, leaving Mai alone with her husband.

"What did you think?" he asked brightly.

"Oh, it was fine," Mai replied and cleared her throat. "Can we go now? I need to use the bathroom."

"Yeah, of course," Zuko stuttered and helped her up from the chair.

* * *

One week later, Mai gave birth to a healthy son. When she saw his wrinkled and raw looking pink face and his little eyes opened up and peered at his mother with an intensity that almost scared her, Mai was suddenly very glad for both the Fire Sages and the spirits.


	31. Chapter 31

**Maiko 100: Prompt #30: Spirits (Part 2)**

_A Sort of Immortality_

The crumpled form of the Fire Lord lay unmoving on the sofa. His face was turned inward, pressed against the red fabric. His arms were tucked tightly against his chest, as if he were holding onto something important. Sunlight licked at the back of his head. It poured in from the open windows, making a mockery of Zuko's despair and grief.

A soft knock on the door sounded, so soft that Zuko didn't hear it and even if he had, he would have ignored the sound and whoever had made it. The person, Iroh as it turned out, opened the door anyway and entered the room quietly. His expression was grim and he still wore the whites of mourning.

"Nephew," Iroh pleaded. "You must get up."

He put his warm, broad hand on Zuko's white clad shoulder and gripped tightly. Zuko shrugged it off and said nothing, just pressed his face even further into the fabric.

"Zuko, your son has been asking for you."

The old man saw the tightening of muscles beneath silk but still Zuko said nothing.

"Toshi needs his father. Please, nephew."

"Just, just give me a minute," the Fire Lord finally said.

The words came out in a sort of creaking groan and Zuko moved his limbs closer in towards himself, making a tighter ball of flesh and bone and cloth. Sighing sadly, Iroh left the room, closing the door reluctantly behind him. He walked down the hall to the young prince's room and sat with the boy, hoping that Zuko _really_ would come. He didn't, not for three days.

* * *

When he finally did leave his rooms, Zuko headed for the nursery, hoping to find his uncle there. Sure enough, the old man sat in the rocking chair, moving it slowly back and forth in a hypnotic rhythm. The little boy, just two years old, spotted his father immediately and ran over to the door as fast as his short legs could carry him.

"Dadda," he cried and opened up his arms, begging to be picked up.

Zuko knelt down in front of the boy and gasped when he looked at the eager, shining face, so much like his mother's. He pulled his son in close and just stayed that way for what seemed like hours, tears filling both his eyes and spilling down onto his cheeks. Zuko wondered how he could possibly have any tears left, but apparently there was an inexhaustible well.

"I'm glad you're here, nephew," Iroh said after a time.

He took in Zuko's unshaven face and rumpled clothes, the same ones as three days before. Pain was etched deeply into his features and his body seemed to tremble from a deep, deep exhaustion.

"I need to ask you something," Zuko said.

He stood up from his crouch, hauling Toshi with him, and shifted from foot to foot.

"Then ask," Iroh replied but he looked uncomfortable.

"When you were in the Spirit World, did you see Lu Ten?"

"Oh, Zuko," the tea maker replied sorrowfully. "No, I didn't. I went there for guidance and it was an extremely difficult and dangerous journey. I was sick with grief."

"What do you think_ I_ am?" Zuko asked, low and dangerous; Toshi began to wimper, burying his head into his father's chest.

"I can't help you," Iroh finally said. "And you won't find her there."

Zuko set his jaw stubbornly and put Toshi back down.

"Watch him, please. I have somewhere to go."

Of course," Iroh said, but Zuko was already gone.

* * *

Shyu shook his head, a troubled look on his weathered face. What the Fire Lord asked was impossible but the sheer force of Zuko's pain made him want to try.

"I have no way of sending you there, Fire Lord. Besides that, the spirits are capricious. You would be in grave danger."

"Then how did my uncle get there?" Zuko shouted.

His hands twitched as if he wanted to reach out and punch the Fire Sage.

"I don't know. Perhaps he was brought forcibly into the Spirit World. I've heard of certain spirits taking an interest in certain people. They can watch what goes on here."

"Then why not me?" Zuko asked, his voice hoarse and broken now. "I have so many questions."

"I'm sorry, my lord. I cannot help you. I believe that you need to find peace within yourself and let go. She was a fine woman. I'm certain that her spirit is at rest now."

"Does that mean she's forgotten me?"

"No, no, she's waiting for you. She'll wait as long as it takes. I know it."

Shyu wasn't sure if he believed his words but the Fire Lord needed something to hold onto.

Defeated yet somehow uplifted, Zuko left the Fire Sage Temple and headed back toward the palace. Guards he didn't even realize were there followed him at a distance, keeping watchful gazes on him. Once inside the palace he went straight to Toshi.

"You can go now, Uncle. I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to apologize, nephew. I am here for you as long as you need me; I'm here for both you and Toshi."

"Thank you. I need to spend some time with my son now."

As Zuko sat on the floor, his little boy curled up in his lap, he wondered if maybe part of her spirit was inside Toshi. It was a good thought. The vice around his heart loosened just a fraction. Toshi shifted a bit and Zuko ran a gentle hand through thick black hair.

* * *

A/N: I deliberately didn't mention Mai's name or what exactly happened to her (that doesn't really matter in this context anyway). Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.

Alabaster


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Shamelessly sentimental and fluffy stuff below. I warned you.

**Maiko 100: Prompt #31: Jewelry**

_Lessons in Love_

Mai sat at the vanity in the room she shared with her husband, Fire Lord Zuko. She was carefully applying her makeup; it couldn't be too garish or too subdued. There was a fine line to walk along. Her daughter, Miyako, sat beside her, watching every move that Mai made with utter fascination.

"Mommy?" the eight year old girl said.

"Mmmm," Mai replied as she ran her now red tinted baby finger along her lower lip, then her upper lip, before blotting the colour with a clean white cloth.

"Did Daddy give you that?" the princess continued.

"What, honey?" Mai asked, turning to look at her little girl.

"That," she repeated and pointed to a flame shaped pendant that hung between Mai's breasts.

"Yes, he did," Mai replied. "It's a pretty piece of jewelry, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh, can I wear it?"

"Okay, but just for a few minutes. It's precious to me."

Mai pulled the gold chain over her head and then placed it over her daughter's. The pendant hung down to the girl's navel and she grasped it carefully between small fingers, feeling its shape and texture.

"I like it," she exclaimed. "Why did Daddy give it to you?"

Mai smirked and then bent down to place a kiss on Miyako's head, a head full of thick, black, straight hair identical to her own.

"Well, he gave it to me just before we got married. It's traditional for couples to exchange gifts then."

"Does it mean that he loves you?"

"Yeah, I guess it does," Mai replied. "But I don't need jewelry from Daddy to know that he loves me."

"How come?"

"You are full of questions tonight, aren't you?" the Fire Lady teased.

"Daddy says I'm curious."

"He's right. Anyway, I know that your daddy loves me just from the way he looks at me."

Miyako began to giggle.

"I know the look," she declared. "When you're all dressed up and you walk into a room, his eyes get all funny. And when he kisses you, he looks the same."

"Yep, that's what I'm talking about," Mai stated dryly.

"You love Daddy?"

"I do," the Fire Lady said firmly.

"Here," Miyako said and pulled the necklace back over her head. "I shouldn't wear it 'cause Daddy got it for you special."

She handed it back to her mother who handled the piece almost reverently.

"Even though I don't need it, jewelry is nice," she quipped and let the flame drop.

It came to a rest near her heart.

* * *

"Miyako was asking about the pendant tonight," Mai informed Zuko as they walked toward the massive hall and prepared to greet their guests.

"Oh, what about it?" the Fire Lord asked.

He tugged on his wife's hand and pulled her off into a deserted room, closing the door behind them.

"She wanted to know if you gave it to me and why."

"And what did you tell her?" Zuko asked before he placed a kiss on her lips.

"Hey, I just finished my makeup," Mai protested.

"So," Zuko said impudently and kissed her again.

"I told her that you gave it to me to show your love but that jewelry isn't necessary for that."

Mai was panting now and pulling at Zuko's robes frantically.

"You're right," Zuko agreed. "There are much more fun ways to show love."

"You realize that we have people waiting for us," Mai reminded him as she loosened her sash.

"Mmmhmmm," her husband acknowledged. "I really don't care."

As she slipped out of her dress, Zuko's eyes lit on the pendant in question. The soft light from the wall sconces made the gold and red sparkle. It looked beautiful resting against Mai's pale skin.


	33. Chapter 33

**Maiko 100: Prompt #31: Jewelry (Part 2)**

_**Remains**_

Zuko entered a bedroom down the hall from the Fire Lord's chambers he shared with Mai. It was his mother's old room and sometimes when he felt wistful or nostalgic, he sat there alone, trying to picture her face, or recall her scent or just absorb her essence. He would poke through the nearly empty wardrobe and run his fingers down the books on her shelf.

Surprisingly, Ozai had left the room as it was when Ursa disappeared that night long ago, when Zuko was a frightened ten year old boy. Zuko couldn't quite understand that. His parents' relationship was obviously flawed; the separate rooms were enough indication of that. He couldn't bear the thought of sleeping apart from Mai. Political trips away from the Fire Nation, ones that Mai chose to not go on, were agony for him. So why had Ozai not had the room swept clean of everything that spoke of Ursa?

"Ten years, Mom," he whispered to the breeze blowing in through the open window.

He sat at her desk and looked outside. His mother's room had a gorgeous view of the gardens and his vision was assaulted with hues of orange and red and yellow. The smell of flowers and cherry blossoms and the buzzing of insects busily going about their days, filling their brief lives with as much activity as possible were soothing. Zuko had the urge to let his head rest on the desk and just go to sleep.

But he decided to poke through her desk yet again. He opened drawers and shuffled scrolls and hurried notes, lists and writing utensils. His knuckles rapped against the bottom of one drawer with a hollow sound. Curious, Zuko removed the drawer's contents and tapped the bottom again. Something wasn't right. He opened another drawer and tapped that bottom. The sound was solid and sure, an indication of thick wood. Really curious now, he went back to the original drawer and tapped again, convinced now that it contained some sort of false bottom.

After a few minutes of probing, he found a way to remove the flimsy piece of wood. Underneath was a drawer containing a small velvet bag along with a scroll tied with a red ribbon. Zuko's mind immediately traveled back in time to the day he had written a letter to Mai and tied _it _with a red ribbon. He hoped that this letter was better than his had ended up being.

His fingers shook a bit as he picked up the scroll, untied the red cloth and unrolled the slightly yellowed paper. The letter was addressed to him. His mother's neat characters swam before his tear filled eyes and he blinked furiously not wanting to ruin the letter. He began to read.

_My dearest Zuko,_

_I know it is you who will find this one day. My confidence is such that I had no hesitation writing your name in the salutation. _

_I don't have much time. I have to leave soon. I don't think that I will ever see you again but I have something for you. It's a ring that belonged to my mother and my grandmother before me. I want you to have it so that you can give it to your love. And I know that you will have one. _

_Tradition dictates that I leave it with Azula, but I fear that she wouldn't appreciate it. So, take it Zuko. _

_I'm imagining you now with a young lady, Mai perhaps (she loves you) and smiling. Have a good life and know that I love you more than anyone or anything._

_Mother_

The young Fire Lord's lip quivered with emotion as he set the letter down reverently and pulled open the drawstring on the bag. A simple ring, delicate almost, the gold shaped into stylized flames fell onto the desk when he turned the red bag over. Zuko picked it up and looked at it closely before putting it back in the bag, grabbing the letter and going to find Mai.

"What is it?" the Fire Lady asked as soon as she saw him.

She let her sharp gold eyes roam his face, looking for answers.

"I found something in my mother's room," he replied excitedly in voice that sounded something like a squeak.

"What?" Mai inquired.

Her own curiosity was piqued now. Zuko had visited that room many times and gone over everything. What would he find years later?

"The desk drawer had a false bottom and there was a letter for me, just like she knew I would keep looking. And she left me something to give to my love."

"Oh, really, and who would that be?" Mai said dryly.

"Here," he replied, fumbling in the bag.

He held out the ring and Mai looked at it.

"It's lovely," she stated.

"Let me put it on you," Zuko said. "It was my mother's, my grandmother's and my great grandmother's. And now it's yours. It's like she knew, Mai, knew that we would be together, knew that we would love each other."

"Well, she certainly saw me blush around you enough times," Mai recalled. "That might have been a hint."

"Yeah, I guess that's it," Zuko replied.

He sounded almost disappointed.

"But, your mother was pretty perceptive," Mai continued, sensing her husband's mood deflate. "Maybe she saw what we weren't ready to."

"Yeah, maybe," Zuko brightened.

"I'll wear it proudly," Mai declared and leaned in to give Zuko a soft kiss.

"If we have a daughter one day, you can give it to her and something of my mother's will live on."

"Mmm," Mai agreed. "That would be nice. Look, I'm glad you found that, Zuko. I understand how much your mother means."

"Yes, but she's gone Mai and you're here with me; you're what's really important. I love you."

Mai blinked back some of her own tears, and moved to kiss Zuko again.

"Come on," she said, "let's go for a walk in the garden. Your mother liked to do that too."

"Yeah" Zuko agreed. "She did."

He linked his hand with hers and led her out of their bedroom, down the hall and towards the sunshine.


	34. Chapter 34

One of my earlier drabbles had to do with the first time that Mai saw Zuko. A few of you mentioned wanting a piece about Zuko's first time seeing Mai. It seemed to work for me with this prompt.

**Maiko 100: Prompt #32: Destiny**

_**Ribbons**_

"My friends are coming over again today, Zuko. So stay away from the garden," Azula ordered one cloudless, hot summer day.

"I don't care about your stupid friends," Zuko spat back venomously.

"You're just jealous because you're a loser and don't have any friends of your own."

"No I'm not and they probably hate you anyway."

"Just stay away. I don't want you ruining things."

Azula left his room, walking haughtily, nose in the air. Zuko slammed the door behind her and flung himself onto the bed. He hated when his sister was right. He_ was_ jealous. Azula went to school while he was tutored at home. How could he meet other children that way? But Father thought it was best. So, his only playmates were Azula herself, and any playtime with her usually ended with him getting hurt, or his cousin Lu Ten. _He_ was far older and was already a soldier in the war, far away in the Earth Kingdom.

The ten year old groaned and pulled the covers up over his head despite the heat of the day. A gentle knock sounded and his mother opened the door.

"Zuko, I heard the door slam. What's wrong?" she asked quietly, her soft voice laced with concern.

"Nothing," he replied sullenly and uncovered his head.

"It's a beautiful day; why don't you come outside with me? You can take your study books and sit near the pond."

He sighed and crawled back out of bed, grabbed some books and took his mother's hand.

"Azula said to stay out of the garden because her friends are coming over."

"Oh, well, the garden isn't Azula's alone. You can go there any time you want to."

"Okay," the young prince replied more cheerfully and then skipped on ahead, entering the bright sunlight well before his mother.

He spotted the trio of girls standing under a cluster of cherry trees, the dappled light creating shadows on their faces. They were stretching upwards, reaching for the already overripe fruit and stuffing their mouths full. One of the girls talked incessantly while Azula shushed her or just ignored her words. The other girl stood off by herself a bit, and carefully placed one cherry at a time in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully, then daintily spitting the pit out.

Her hair was dark, much darker than his was, a lustrous black that seemed to give off its own light. She wore it up, a bun on each side of her head, covered with red cloth, strips hanging down like ribbons. He itched to pull them, not in a malicious way, but in an affectionate one. And he had never even met her. Thick bangs covered her forehead and her eyes were shaped like perfect almonds. Her features were sort of delicate, perfect nose and thin lips. She was pretty, Zuko thought, very pretty.

Something about the way she stood aside, like she didn't quite belong or didn't know what to say, tugged at his heart; a kinship of sorts was born right there, before their first words to the other.

"Mai," Azula said sharply, turning to the girl in question and grabbing hold of her arm. "You're not paying attention. I said that we're doing cartwheels now."

"Mai," Zuko repeated to himself.

The girl shrugged Azula's hand off and said nothing. She showed no fear, didn't jump to attention like the other girl did. Instead, she deliberately reached for another cherry, popped it into her mouth and walked away.

"Hey, get back here," Zuko's sister shouted.

"Whatever," the girl said over her shoulder in a raspy voice but continued walking.

"Ty Lee, watch while I do my cartwheel. Who cares about dumb Mai anyway?"

"I do," the other girl said softly.

"Watch," Azula snarled and the girl watched.

Meanwhile Mai continued to walk, making her way to the fountain. She washed off her sticky hands and then strolled casually back the way she had come. Zuko hid behind a pillar, his gold eyes wide and admiring.

He thought about this Mai being a part of his future, a part of his destiny as deeply as a ten year old could. Destiny was one of his uncle's favorite words. He would ask him about it when he got home from the war. While he waited for that day, Zuko would continue to watch. Maybe soon, he would work up the courage to actually speak to Mai.

When he rejoined his mother, Zuko was in a much better mood.

"You seem happier," Ursa remarked when she saw her son's face.

"Yeah," he replied with a secretive smile. "I am."


	35. Chapter 35

**Maiko 100: Prompt #33: Comfort**

_**In Times of Sorrow**_

When he received the news of Iroh's death, fifteen years after the end of the war that had crippled the world for one hundred years, Fire Lord Zuko didn't rant or rave or break down or cry. He refused to believe it, despite the characters there before him in dramatic black ink. He got up from his office chair and strode purposefully through the palace in search of Mai. His heavy winter formal robes flapped behind him and his face wore a look of bemusement.

'Some people would do anything for a joke, no matter how sick,' he thought to himself as he finally reached the residential wing where Mai and their four children usually spent the late afternoon together.

"Ah, there's your father," Mai declared and threw her husband a warm smile.

The children gathered around Zuko, giving hugs and telling stories about their days, voices competing with each other.

"One at a time," Mai ordered sternly. "No one can understand what you're saying."

"Okay," said the oldest. "I'm first."

The four took turns, Zuko listening intently to each one. When the youngest finished, he ushered them off to their own rooms, insisting that he needed to speak alone with their mother.

"I'll see you all at dinner," he said happily as the last child shut the door behind her.

"So, what's up?" Mai asked.

Zuko sat beside Mai on the sofa and gave her a kiss before answering.

"I just received this letter. Can you believe it?"

"Well, since I haven't read it, no," Mai replied hesitantly.

"Oh, right," Zuko replied and handed her the scroll.

She scanned the words quickly, and then looked at Zuko, her gold eyes filled with infrequent tears.

"Wait," Zuko said. "What's wrong with you? Do you actually believe the word of a tea shop worker? Do you actually believe that my Uncle Iroh is dead?"

"Yes, Zuko, I do," she replied softly and took him into her arms.

"It can't be true. We saw him three weeks ago and he looked great. He's not supposed to die. He's not supposed to leave me behind. He's, he's 'Uncle'."

He was sobbing into her shoulder now, his Mai, the one person who could comfort him when nothing else and no one else could. Her word was enough for him and her belief in the letter was all he needed to believe too. And it hurt, far beyond anything else in his life ever had. But her hand in his hair, stroking and soothing, her whispered words, words she spoke through her own intense grief and the very feel and smell of her made it almost bearable.


	36. Chapter 36

**Maiko 100: Prompt #34: Attack**

_**Never the Same**_

Zuko did his best to be a Fire Lord of the people. He walked amongst the citizens, both feet on the paving stones, just like everyone else, rather than take a palanquin or a carriage. He smiled, in his own awkward way, and he even stopped to talk with people sometimes. Agni knew, he could protect himself and guards were always present, though not obvious.

Mai, taking his lead, did the same. And when they went anywhere _together_, it was on foot as well. They were four years into his reign and nothing bad had happened. No one had so much as said a cross word to him. So when the attack came, both Zuko and Mai were surprised.

* * *

Five months pregnant and hardly showing at all, Mai rested her hand on her abdomen. She loved touching the solid little bump; she and Zuko had created it. The wonder of that fact would never wane. Together, they had made a baby. She let the corners of her mouth turn upwards in a small smile.

Zuko walked beside her, holding loosely onto her hand. They were going to her parents' home just across the street. Though relations with them were still strained, Mai was working on bettering the situation. Besides that, her brother, Tom-Tom, had become a delight in her life. She enjoyed spending time with the six year old.

"I can see my brother on the steps," Mai said, gripping Zuko's fingers tighter.

She picked up her pace again. Neither saw the woman in the darkened alley, standing behind neatly stacked crates of goods, pick up a rock and heave it at them. The guards were busy observing the people on the street making their way to work or to shop. They never even looked in her direction.

Mai's fingers went slack and she dropped to the ground, hitting it hard, landing on her side. Zuko took a step forward before he realized what had occurred, then stared dumfounded down at her fallen form. The guards formed a tight circle around them, facing outwards and readying fire in their hands. But nothing else happened. No other rock sailed through the air.

Zuko knelt by Mai, crooning her name and examining her head. Blood flowed steadily from a deep wound on her temple. She moaned but her eyes remained closed and she said nothing. Reaching down to pick her up, he noticed more blood.

"Agni," he moaned. "The baby."

Scooping her into his arms, he pushed his way by the guards and ran the rest of the way to Mai's parent's house, shouting to the men to get the royal physician. Tom-Tom was wide eyed and unsure what to do as Zuko sped past. The Fire Lord hammered on the door, screaming for someone to open it.

When a servant yanked the door ajar he pushed by her as well and placed Mai down on a sofa in the sitting room. The patch of blood on her robes grew larger as he watched with a horrified expression on his face. He kissed Mai's cool forehead and whispered in her ear. Finally, as the physician ran breathless into the room and Mai's parents gathered around, she opened her eyes.

"Zuko," she said in a heartbroken voice. "Our baby…."

"You'll need to move, my lord," the physician ordered gently.

He examined Mai and his expression grew grim.

"I want her upstairs in a bed, now. "

An hour later, their child was dead and all the dreams they had for her were dust.

It took months for Mai and Zuko to recover completely and even then an oppressive sadness could strike them suddenly and without warning. Zuko didn't want to be a Fire Lord of the people any longer. He couldn't trust them. They had turned on him.

The woman was never found.


	37. Chapter 37

Maiko 100: Prompt #35: Hug

_**All That We Couldn't Do**_

A/N: this is a continuation of sorts from my last drabble for the prompt 'attack'. I found myself thinking about their situation and wanted to explore more. The next one might even be a _further _continuation. More angst below.

Zuko sat on the edge of the bed he shared with Mai, the bed where they made love, the bed where their daughter had been conceived. She had insisted on coming home just hours after the miscarriage. She wanted to be in her own room not in a bedroom that hadn't been hers for years. Mai was silent now and when Zuko moved to hold her hand, she pulled away and pressed her face further into the scarlet pillow.

Zuko thought of blood when he looked at it and the whole horrifying scene played over in his head again. Someone, some random citizen had struck Mai down, made her fall to the ground, with a rock of all things. Someone had killed their baby, not yet born. Someone had taken joy from them and left pain, cold and sharp and aching.

Everything had been going so well. Mai had been healthy, the baby had been healthy. It just wasn't fair. The more he thought about it, the more there was anger that joined the pain, the two feelings residing side by side in his broken heart.

Eventually they both fell asleep. The next day would be a difficult one. They would dress in white and watch as their daughter's tiny body burned.

* * *

Mai could sense her husband there on the bed beside her. Through her haze of grief and through the pain of her own injury, she felt his presence. But she didn't want to be touched or spoken to. She wanted to go back in time somehow and change things or if failing that, just forget, sink into an ignorant oblivion, because the pain was too much. Not until now, when their baby was gone, never to be held in her arms, never kissed or whispered to or tickled or tucked into bed, did Mai understand exactly how much she had wanted this child.

She shrank again from Zuko's reaching hand. Mai didn't want to hurt him, but if he made contact, if he held onto her fingers and stroked them soothingly, she might begin to cry and then she might never stop. She was hanging onto control by the thinnest of threads. She would need that control tomorrow as she dressed in white robes and they watched their baby burn.

* * *

"Let me help you," Zuko said.

Mai was struggling with the tiny buttons of her shirt. Her long slender fingers didn't want to work. She nodded quickly and he moved in close, so eager to be near her, wanting so badly to touch.

"There," he said when the shirt was neatly buttoned. "Do you need help with your robes?"

She nodded again. Ever so gently, he helped her into the voluminous white dress robes, robes of mourning. He tied her gold sash and then brushed the bangs from her eyes. Mai was so very pale and weak looking. She could hardly stand on her feet and wavered every so often, grabbing a piece of furniture for support, but not him.

"I can fix your hair," he offered.

She met his eyes then for the first time since she had left her parents' home. Zuko sucked in his breath. Her eyes were usually unreadable, at least in comparison to his. But now they were a mirror for everything she felt. Fresh grief cut through him.

"Oh, Mai," he whispered.

Finding the hairbrush, he ran it through her magnificent hair, taking his time to remove all the tangles and enjoying the feel of it in his fingers. He pulled a portion of it up into a clumsy topknot and then inserted the little flame shaped hairpiece.

"It's time to go," he said softly.

Mai moved forward jerkily. They walked out of their room and down the hall, making their way outside to a private courtyard. Their daughter lay on the small bier, her body shrouded in white. A Fire Sage stood nearby ready to bless the child before she made her way to the spirit world.

No one else was in attendance. They wanted the ceremony to be private.

As the Fire Sage intoned the words, his own wrinkled face so sad, Mai began to cry. And when he made a beautiful flame and set fire to the fragrant wood her baby rested on, she began to sob. Zuko put an arm around her, tears streaming down his own cheeks, and finally she didn't resist. He pulled her in close and wrapped his other arm around her shaking frame, encircling her, holding her tight. She collapsed into the hug and wept into Zuko's strong chest.

When she finally pulled away and took one last look at the bier, Mai spoke her first words in more than a day. Her voice was raw and broken sounding.

"I wanted to call her Natsumi*. She was supposed to arrive in the summer."

"Natsumi," Zuko repeated. "That's beautiful."

*means 'summer beauty' in Japanese


	38. Chapter 38

**Maiko 100: Prompt #36: Kiss**

A/N: This drabble is part 3 in the little series I've found myself compelled to write.

_**Healing**_

Their first kiss after the loss of Natsumi was tentative and hesitant and as each felt the familiar stirrings of desire, each pulled away again, stricken with terrible guilt. Feeling good must be wrong. Feeling happiness must mean that they've forgotten the little life that was taken before she had a chance to fully blossom.

"You must move on, in your own time, of course," Iroh had written in a long letter after he received the news. "Trust me when I say that I know how you feel. The grief is overwhelming at times and threatens to pull you down and then down further until you feel as though you will never rise up again. But _I_ did and so will you. Both of you are strong and the love you share will buoy you through these dark days. Do not forget, however, that there is still light and you must find it again."

Zuko clung to those words and worked toward the light that Iroh spoke of. Mai's progress was slower and she slid back into the blackness more often than Zuko did. Did that mean he felt the death of their unborn child less keenly than Mai did? Did it mean that he was stronger than Mai?

"Everyone handles grief differently, nephew," Iroh wrote back after Zuko sent him a letter full of concerns and questions. "You are not a bad person for smiling about something or feeling joy. What good would it do anyone for you to never smile again? Mai's just working at a different pace than you are. Perhaps carrying the child makes a difference. Her body felt the physical loss too."

Zuko wanted to broach the subject of another child but was terrified of Mai's reaction. So he tried to express the desire through another kiss, this one a bare whisper of his lips across hers. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, searching for an answer.

"Come here," she said and held out her hand.

Mai led him to the nursery next door where tiny shirts and pants and soft toys still sat in the wardrobe. She opened the doors and looked inside, tears welling in her eyes immediately.

"These are Natsumi's," she stated. "I don't want another child to have them."

"Okay," Zuko nodded.

"I want to find a spot, in the garden maybe, where we can bury these and maybe leave a marker of some kind to show that she existed. Until we do that, I can't think about another baby."

* * *

Mai carried a wooden box with a beautifully carved lid. Inside were all of Natsumi's things. She held it close to her body, pressed against her chest. Zuko walked beside her, his arms hanging loosely by his sides. When they reached the spot underneath the apple tree, Zuko dug a small hole with a shovel that was waiting for him. Mai tucked the box inside the hole and then covered it with dirt, looking up at Zuko once before continuing. He picked up the flat marble stone with the characters for Natsumi carved into it and placed it on top of the loose soil, packing it down tight and brushing the dirt off its surface. They knelt under the tree for a few minutes, looking down at the tiny marker and thinking. When she was ready, Mai stood up and took Zuko's hand.

Later that night, she leaned over in bed and placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

"I'm almost ready," she said softly and then went to sleep.

Zuko smiled in the dark and wrapped his arms around her, holding on tight.


	39. Chapter 39

**Maiko 100: Prompt #37: Possession**

_**Near my Heart**_

Zuko didn't care about possessions. He didn't accumulate or collect or buy the latest styles in clothing or furniture just because he could. He didn't revel in luxuries and extravagances. They just didn't matter. Sure, he had some favorite books and enjoyed the feel of good quality silk against his skin. But he would be just as happy walking around in rough cotton, wandering about the countryside and camping under the stars as long as Mai was with him.

There was one possession, however, that he wouldn't give up unless someone's life actually depended on the act. They could take his crown and his swords and the knife that Iroh had given him when he was only ten. But they had better not take the small, black heart shaped rock that rested near his _own_ heart whenever he was dressed. And when he lay shirtless in bed or completely naked, the rock sat on the bedside table within easy reach.

It was a childhood present from Mai, and one of the very first physical representations of her love for him. Her little girl eyes had seen the rock and thought of him. Her little girl hands had picked it up and tucked it safely inside her robes and those same hands had shyly presented the rock to him days later.

Even back then he had the sense to know that the rock was special, not because of what it was made of or how rare it was, but because it came from one of the very few people in the world who cared about him. It came from a girl so suppressed, so locked up and so shut down, that the very act of her giving it to him was something of a miracle.

It was_ his_ miracle and of all his possessions, he treasured _it _most highly.


	40. Chapter 40

**Maiko 100: Prompt #38: Obsession**

_**Priorities**_

Mai opened the door to the office she shared with Zuko and peered inside. The room adjoined their spacious bed and bath and was used strictly for writing personal letters or anything that required the strictest of privacy. It was hardly_ theirs_ anymore, however. Zuko had taken over the space as soon as Ozai gave the smallest hint about where Ursa, Zuko's mother, might be.

"I'm going to bed in half an hour," Mai warned. "I hope you'll join me."

"Yeah, sure, I'm almost done here," Zuko replied.

He was distracted, of course. Maps were spread all over the floor and scraps of papers with notations on them were scattered all over the desk. Mai sighed. He wasn't coming to bed. He would fall asleep on the floor, fully dressed and then wake up at sunrise, exhausted. The whole routine was becoming a habit and Zuko's search for his mother was becoming an obsession. Mai wanted her back as much as Zuko did but not at the cost of their marriage.

She hesitated and then stepped into the room looking for the easiest route over to Zuko. If she tore one of the maps he would explode, she was sure of it. The Fire Lord didn't even realize his wife was there until she put her hand down on his hunched over back and began to rub.

"Hey," she whispered in his ear. "Come on, you need a good rest in a bed. And_ I_ need you, Zuko."

He looked up, stricken by the tone in her voice. There were dark circles under his eyes and his face looked worn and drawn.

"I, I'm sorry Mai. I haven't been much of a husband lately. You deserve better."

"Yes, I do," she quipped, but her words had a serious undertone.

She stood up again and held out her hand. Zuko looked around the office, his eyes truly taking in the chaos for the first time. His mother was in there somewhere, hidden in some little piece of information, located in some distant village only found on maps from years ago.

Then, for the second time, he glanced at Mai. Her gold eyes, full of love and concern and a desire that never seemed to wane, even when he was at his worst, held his. There was no contest. He took her hand, stood up and followed her to their bedroom.

"I'm so sorry," he said later, after they had made love.

Mai's head rested on his chest and her arm was slung loosely over his stomach. She listened to the sounds of his breathing and the beating of his heart. They were reassuring and strong, just like Zuko himself. She'd been worried the past few weeks, frightened even, but now that he was in bed with her once again, none of that mattered.

"I know you are, Zuko. Just remember, if there's a next time, and there better not be, I won't go so easy on you."

"I understand," he replied with a raspy laugh and the words rumbled in his chest, tickling Mai's ear.

"I love you and I'll help all that I can to find your mother."

He just nodded then and placed a kiss on her head.


	41. Chapter 41

**Maiko 100: Prompt #39: Conceal**

**A/N: I've become obsessed with babies and heart shaped rocks. I wonder what that means exactly.**

_**Learning Curve**_

"What's in your pocket, Mai?' Azula sneered.

"Nothing," the black haired girl replied nonchalantly.

But Mai had made a mistake. Her hands had reached unconsciously for the inside of her robe all afternoon and Azula had seen. Azula saw everything.

"Don't lie to me!" the nine year old princess exclaimed imperiously. "I am your princess and you must tell me the truth at all times."

Mai thought to herself that Azula wouldn't like to hear a lot of the things she really thought. Azula wouldn't want to hear those truths at all. She closed her thin lips tight to keep in the tiny, fragile laugh that wanted to come out. Maybe the princess wasn't so smart after all.

"It's just a stupid flower," Mai finally replied with a bored shrug.

She took it out of her pocket and tossed it to the ground like it meant nothing.

"I'll bet you picked it for Zuko, didn't you?" Azula asked.

She moved closer to Mai, examined her face for any sign of emotion. There was nothing there but a sort of tired resignation.

"No," Mai lied. "I just liked it so I picked it up."

"Good," said Azula. "Then you won't mind if I do this."

The princess stomped on the bright red flower triumphantly, pushing it further and further into the soil of the garden until nothing remained but ragged bits of green stem and torn pieces of brilliant red.

"I don't mind," Mai replied and turned away.

She blinked back a few stubborn tears and quickly regained her composure. She couldn't show weakness in front of Azula. It might prove fatal. When she turned back around and glanced down at the ruined flower, her heart wrenched. It was Zuko's favorite and the best one in the entire garden. He would have liked it.

* * *

When Mai found the heart shaped rock on Ember Island she knew enough to scoop it up discreetly, hide it away in the pocket of her knee length pants, perfect for wading, and not touch it for the rest of the day.

She was with Azula and Zuko and two ancient long time royal servants who allowed the princess to get away with anything. Mai secretly thought that they were afraid of Azula. When she proposed the theory to Zuko later that night, while Azula was in the bath, and they could finally speak privately, Zuko laughed.

"Of course they are. All the servants are terrified of her."

"Oh, yeah, I guess so," Mai replied.

She ran her hands down her thighs and felt the small bump in her pocket. Blushing slightly, she pulled it out, rubbed it up and down the fabric in a facsimile of polishing and thrust it at Zuko.

"I found this today," she said. "It's for you."

The prince took it from her hand. His fingers just grazed hers and they both flushed then.

"Oh, it's really cool, Mai. Thank you."

Zuko turned it over and over, looking at its shiny surface from all angles. Smiling he tucked it inside his wardrobe, underneath some folded shirts.

"I don't want Azula to find it," he reasoned.

Mai nodded. The rock definitely made up for the flower.


	42. Chapter 42

**Maiko 100: Prompt #40: Reveal**

_**Secret Self**_

There were so many things hidden inside her; emotions, desires, needs, both carnal and otherwise. Sometimes Mai imagined these things were actually alive, thumping away in her chest like a second heart and burrowing their way through her brain like tentacles, blind and seeking, finding a part they liked and holding on.

She would breathe in deeply and place a hand on her breast, calming the hungry beast within. She would run a hand through her thick, black locks, tugging hard, halting the progress of the curious creature.

Mai _couldn't_ let them out. If she did, all control would be lost. The shy, introverted daughter of a fine noble family would run about screaming, crying, laughing, loving. That just would not do. Mother and Father and all their repressed friends would not approve. Mai might stand out and her parents definitely did not want that. All they wanted from her were perfect manners, perfect skin, perfect hair and perfect quiet.

* * *

Finally free of her parents and all the restraints living with them brought, Mai could tentatively begin to feed the wildness within. But Azula still held her back; the princess and her devious plans, her constant watching, her disdain for all things not perfectly controlled, kept the suffocating blanket of suppression firmly over Mai.

When she saw Zuko again after three long, terrible years, the beasts began to clamor loudly and for the first time in her young life, Mai felt free enough to let them loose. Over her months with the prince who became the Fire Lord, they grew larger and stronger, fed frequently now and no longer suffering from neglect.

Zuko saw her completely. With him she could reveal anything and she was happy.


	43. Chapter 43

**Maiko 100: Prompt #41: Royalty**

_**Princes Don't Cry**_

"Royalty is above crying and grief, Zuko. Emotions, all that weeping and wailing and all that excessive joy in such petty things, like romance, are for the peasants, the lower classes, those far beneath us. Do you understand?"

Zuko nodded his head 'yes' but he didn't. He didn't understand at all. He'd seen his mother cry after all, and laugh and take pleasure in simple things like flowers or a particularly beautiful day or one of Zuko's silly jokes, jokes that weren't even funny. And she had been the princess, royalty, just like he was and like his father.

"If I see you weep about your mother again, or for any other reason, I will send you away."

'Away' was such a vague word. Ten year old Zuko was terrified of it. 'Away' could mean anything. And despite how uncomfortable life at the palace was now, without his mother to love and nurture him, he at least knew what to expect there. The unknown was a dark, black place, full of potential horrors that he would rather avoid.

And then there was Mai. To leave her behind would create a hole in him somewhere. He was sure of it. So he didn't cry anymore, at least not where anyone could see or hear. He held it all inside and his grief became this unbearably heavy ache, one he could hardly bear to carry.

Mai seemed to understand exactly what he was going through.

"You haven't cried," she observed one day, a few weeks after his mother's disappearance. "He won't let you, will he?"

They sat by the pond in the palace gardens, sharing a quiet togetherness that he had never experienced with anyone else in his young life. Mai would sneak away from Azula for a few minutes and come in search of the prince, finding him in the same location every day.

"No," Zuko sniffed and suddenly the tears were so very close and the ache was right up in his throat. "He saw me once and…"

"I'm not allowed either. It makes my eyes all red and puffy and that's unladylike. I'm used to it now."

"Oh," Zuko replied. "My father says that it isn't proper for royalty. I'm supposed to be stronger than that."

"Do you want to cry now?" Mai asked. "I won't tell and I don't think it's bad either."

She ducked her head down to hide her pink cheeks, an automatic affect of being near the prince.

Zuko nodded. He'd held the tears back so long now that they wouldn't come right away. He had to coax them. But when they finally did begin to fall, the tears were many. Sobs joined them afterwards, wracking Zuko's small body. It looked painful. Mai reached out to touch. Her hand hovered in midair for a moment before she let it fall on his knee. When he looked up finally, he gave her a weak smile and put his hand on top of hers.

"If you ever want to cry one day, I'll watch you," he offered haltingly.

His voice was heavy with still unshed tears, but the burden that he had been carrying felt lighter.

"Thanks," Mai whispered. "Hey, maybe your father's wrong." It felt like treason saying that and Mai felt a tiny thrill of fear travel up her spine. "Princes are people too."


	44. Chapter 44

**Maiko 100: Prompt #42: Blanket**

**A/N: For anyone who's read the stories 'Two No More' and 'Expansion', this mini story is part of the same universe**

_**Remember When**_

On the eve of their son's wedding, Mai and Zuko sat on the carpeted floor of their room, sorting through a small chest of keepsakes. The chest was made from rich looking wood and the name, Ryuhito, was carved onto its lid.

"Do you remember this stuffed dragon?" Mai asked as she pulled out the toy and held it up for her husband to see.

Zuko chuckled and shifted closer to Mai, slipping an arm about her still slender waist. He pressed a kiss to her temple and held her close.

"He's a good son, isn't he?" the Fire Lord asked.

"He really is," Mai replied.

The couple thought quietly about Ryuhito's life so far and all the joy he had brought into theirs. He was the only one of their three children who never had the urge to travel the world, leave home behind and explore. He was happy at the palace and content to keep travel to within the Fire Nation archipelago. Sure, he'd been to Ba Sing Se to visit his great uncle Iroh countless times and he'd traveled with his parents both on vacations and diplomatic missions. But once he was old enough to stay home on his own, he did. Iroh's teashop, still going strong when Ryuhito turned twenty, was his only exception.

He was handsome, a quiet, dignified young man, determined and hard working. He loved his family with a ferocity that bordered on frightening sometimes. He was protective of his two sisters and maintained close contact even as they moved about the world together. Ryuhito educated himself, learned all he could about his people and his nation and the role of Fire Lord. He would be the next one.

* * *

At the bottom of the chest was a blanket, red with a gold silk border. It was worn and covered with little patches where repairs had been made. Ends were frayed, and bits of thread hung from its edges. Mai rubbed it under her nose like Ryuhito used to do. She smiled warmly and her eyes misted over.

"Ah, the blanket," he declared. "He hung on to that for years."

"He was adorable," Mai recalled.

"Hey," Zuko said, "are you crying?"

He tilted her chin up and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

"Maybe, just a bit," she replied. "Our little boy is all grown up. He'll have his own children soon and we'll be grandparents. Why does that make me feel old?"

"You could never be old, not to me anyway. You're my Mai, end of story. And you're more beautiful than ever."

"Sap," Mai said with a laugh.

"Maybe," Zuko acknowledged. "But it's all true."

"He's getting married tomorrow. Agni, he's twenty years old. I can remember the day he and Miyako were born so clearly."

"Mmm, I can remember too. Let's put these things away and get to bed. We've got a busy day tomorrow."

Mai tucked the blanket back into the chest and closed the lid. She ran a hand across the top, tracing Ryuhito's name and then put it back in their wardrobe.

* * *

Two years after his marriage, Ryuhito and his wife welcomed a daughter, Emiko. She was born in the palace just like Ryuhito had been. Mai and Zuko waited patiently next door with their own daughters, Miyako and Kaminari, letting the new little family have some time together before all four of them came barging in.

"So, you're grandparents now, huh?" Kaminari said and gave her mother and father each a playful nudge.

"Yes, very young and vital ones I might add too," Mai replied smartly. "And it's a good thing one of you is carrying on the family name."

"We haven't been lucky like you and dad were," Miyako replied. "You found the love of your life when you were what, eight years old?"

"About that, though I didn't know your dad was the love of my life quite then."

"Your whole relationship is so romantic. How can we ever top it?" Kaminari continued.

"Don't try to," Zuko replied. "Any romantic relationship you have should be your own. What your mother and I have is _our _own."

"I suppose," Kaminari conceded. "I just always think of you two and how great you are together. If I ever come close to something like that, I'll be happy."

Mai and Zuko looked at each other then, communicating wordlessly as they so often did. They had set a good example for their children; their unmarried girls wouldn't settle for anything less than a loving partnership with any husband they acquired. Zuko, always so protective of his daughters, was proud now of their independence and their sense of adventure. They would settle down when they were ready and that was alright with him.

* * *

The midwife poked her head in the door and invited them next door.

"They're ready for visitors now," she grinned. "You've got a gorgeous granddaughter, and big; she's over nine pounds."

The four sprang up from their seats and walked next door, almost tiptoeing into the birthing room. Ryuhito sat next to his pretty wife, Lin, who reclined against a pile of pillows and cradled a not so tiny bundle in her arms.

"Hey, Ryu," Miyako called and ran to give her twin a hug. "Congrats, Daddy!"

He hugged back, clinging tightly for a moment before opening his arms to Kaminari.

"Let's have a look," Mai stated.

She walked to the bed and gave Lin's hand a squeeze before leaning over and looking at the infant's face. Wispy bits of brown hair covered her head and brown eyes looked up at Mai intelligently. The new grandmother reached for one of the small, waving hands. Emiko grabbed hold of Mai's long finger and held on tightly.

"She's lovely," Mai whispered. "May I hold her for a few minutes."

"Of course," Lin said and handed the baby over carefully.

Zuko stood by his son, a hand on the young man's shoulder and looked at his new granddaughter. He was overcome with emotion momentarily and blinked back tears.

"Come see, Zuko," Mai urged.

He moved over to Mai and stared at the chubby little face, so young and fresh and free to do anything in her life. He already had hopes for her. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he bent down and kissed Emiko's warm cheek.

"Amazing," he whispered.

"Oh, Zuko, go get that blanket, will you please. I left it on my vanity."

He took another lingering look at Emiko and then walked back to the room he shared with Mai, picked up the blanket and strode back quickly.

"I've got it," he said when he returned.

"Give it here," Mai ordered.

She wrapped Ryuhito's old blanket around the infant.

"That's to keep your father close," she whispered.

* * *

"How do you feel, Grandma?" Zuko joked in bed that night.

"I feel great," Mai replied and began to kiss Zuko, working her way down from his scar.

Her pale fingers traced the firm muscles of his arms and chest, before settling on something even firmer.

"Are you sure that you want to call me 'Grandma'?" Mai smirked.

"I'll call you anything as long as you continue," Zuko hissed.

Mai laughed and leaned in to kiss him full on the mouth.

He ran fingers through that beautiful black hair he loved so much, trying to convey with his touch, how very much he loved Mai and how very happy he was.

She broke the kiss and looked down at him, gold eyes searching gold.

"I know," she mouthed and kissed him again.


	45. Chapter 45

**Maiko 100: Prompt #43: Dreams**

_**The Pain of Recollection**_

Dreams were a wonderful gift. Dreams were a terrible curse. Mai couldn't decide which statement was truer.

It was two years now since Zuko had left the Fire Nation in disgrace, his ship setting out into the fading light of the early spring evening. Sunset was a fitting time for him to leave. It was the end of the day and the end of the life Zuko had known for thirteen years. Mai wondered what his life was like now.

Her mother would faint if she knew just how much time Mai spent thinking about the prince of the Fire Nation. Could she even call him that anymore? It didn't matter. Zuko was Zuko whether he was a prince or not.

Thoughts of him invaded her waking life, sometimes at the strangest moments. Mai would be caught off guard but recover with grace and elegance like she had been taught. These random recollections usually happened at the palace, in front of Azula and Ty Lee. She would never let them see her lingering pain. Azula would laugh and Ty Lee would look uncomfortable, wanting to reach out but tethered by her fear of the princess.

At night, after she put her book down on the bedside table and snuffed the flame in the lantern, Mai thought of Zuko one last time for the day. She did it every night and wondered if maybe he could sense her thoughts. It was a fanciful idea, the kind that Mai was not prone to, but she clung to it stubbornly.

Then the dreams came; sweet and happy, full of warm embraces and shy kisses and time alone without prying eyes to see or keen ears to hear. Zuko was happy and she was too. They clung to each other and just stared, letting the other's very essence seep into their bones until it was a part of them. It was almost like they became one living organism, with one heartbeat and one breath.

But that was silly again, wasn't it? When Mai woke up, she wept, every time without fail. It hurt so much to leave Zuko behind.

Dreams were a wonderful gift. Dreams were a terrible curse. Mai still didn't know which statement was the true one.


	46. Chapter 46

**Maiko 100**

_**Prompt #44: Reality**_

_**After all this Time (a companion piece to 'The Pain of Recollection')**_

In the span of a lifetime, three years was nothing, Mai supposed. Well, as long as your own particular lifetime wasn't shortened by early death. But, Mai was only fifteen years old now, and three of those few years had been spent in longing and mourning for Zuko. And now the longing and the mourning were over. She wouldn't have to conjure his image up or hope for a dream at night any longer. His existence was reality for her again. She was terrified.

They were in Ba Sing Se, recently conquered by Azula and now in Fire Nation control. Zuko was somewhere in the Earth King's lovely palace, probably deep in thought, if memory served Mai correctly. His sister couldn't give Mai an exact location.

"Just look in all the dark corners, you know the ones good for moping and brooding and wallowing in guilt," the princess had said. "Though why you want to see him is really beyond me, Mai. You can do so much better."

She hadn't bothered responding to that. There really was no right answer with Azula. Instead, Mai inclined her head slightly and went in search of the no longer banished prince. She had to hand it to Azula, though. He _was _in a dark corner, of the library to be precise, a book opened on his lap, strictly for show. His brow was furrowed and he kept reaching up to touch his scar.

The scar; It was ugly and disfiguring and huge, yet it didn't make her flinch or cringe, the way she was sure that most people reacted to it. _Zuko_ wasn't ugly. In fact, he was more handsome than ever, the scar simply an indication that he had suffered. _That_ was what upset Mai. The pain from a burn that severe would have been almost unbearable. She hadn't been able to help him and for the most part, he had endured alone. Her heart ached for him then and her arms reached outward. She imagined touching him. His warm body would feel good against hers.

And his hair, it was so short. Mai liked it, though. It suited him. Her fingers itched to run through it.

He wore Earth Kingdom greens and browns, simple clothes, nothing fancy, and Mai was reminded that he had lived as a refugee. Her heart constricted again.

'Just go talk to him, you idiot,' she said to herself. 'You've been waiting for this very moment.'

She cleared her throat and Zuko looked up. It took a moment for his eyes to focus on her. The one on the burned side of his face was damaged, pinched in and narrowed, giving that side a perpetually angry look. Mai swallowed and then walked forward.

"M, Mai," he blinked. "I, I…."

He closed the book and stood up, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"Hello, Zuko," she replied and gave him a small smile. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah," he agreed.

He moved forward then and so did she. They stood a few feet apart and just looked at each other. Zuko began to blush and raised a hand to his scar again.

"Don't," Mai said. "Don't cover it."

"It's awful," the prince said and looked down at the floor.

"No, it isn't," Mai said firmly.

She covered the distance between them then, and cupped his cheek in her hand. It was as warm as she imagined and the edge of his scar felt rough against her fingertips. Zuko leaned in to her touch. He inhaled sharply and then put his hand on top of Mai's.

Reality was so much better than the best of her dreams.


	47. Chapter 47

**Maiko 100: Prompt #45: Letters**

**Two Sides**

Zuko wasn't sure how many times he began to write Mai. At the end of another wasted day searching for the Avatar, the banished prince would return to his steel prison and pick up his brush, dip it in the ink and then just sit. The black liquid would drip onto the starkly white scroll sometimes, and Zuko would stare down at it mesmerized. It would take on shapes; a dragon maybe or a flower or a girl's long ebony hair.

Then he would remember lying down in the grass by the turtleduck pond, he and Mai together, saying nothing, just watching the clouds drift with the breeze. Occasionally one of them would say, 'koalasheep' or 'heart' or 'face', putting a name to what they saw up in the bright blue of the summer sky.

The paper ruined, he would reach for another piece and quickly make the characters for 'Mai'. He didn't know what to write after that. Zuko didn't know if Mai would ever get the letter and if she did, he didn't know if she would_ want_ to read it.

Words weren't easy for the prince. He and Mai didn't use them that often. Their silences were more comfortable for both of them. So what in Agni's name could he put down with ink that didn't sound stupid? He thought about asking his uncle but decided against it. Perhaps it was better this way. Perhaps it was better to let Mai forget about him.

Letters might give her hope where there was none. He didn't want to do that to her. He _wouldn't_ do that to Mai. So he packed up his writing tools and never took them out again.

Mai kept hoping for a letter from Zuko. It wouldn't matter what it said. She just wanted_ something_ that came from him, something to let her know that he was alive and hadn't forgotten her, something his hands had touched.

It never came.


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: This one was written_ very _quickly. I had an image of Mai alone in her room, in the quiet, thinking about Zuko. Hardly original, but hey, it's what I came up with. ;-)**

**Prompt #46: Silence**

_**Her Place**_

Her mother's incessant prattling faded into the background as Mai walked up the stairs to her bedroom. She couldn't stand the sound of her mother's voice or maybe her disgust was all about the nonsense that the woman spouted. None of it made any kind of sense to Mai. Who cared what dress Mrs. Sato wore to the party? Who cared if the same Mrs. Sato's son was only three years older than Mai, tolerable looking and with solid prospects for the future. Seriously, sometimes Mai wanted to walk over to her mother and just give her a slap. If nothing else, it would shut her up for a moment. Whatever consequences her mother and father doled out would be worth it. That wasn't quite true. If they took away her knives, she might just go insane. They were all she had now, those and the fading memories of a prince she once thought that she would marry. Funny how her childhood crush, one she couldn't seem to shake and really didn't want to, fit perfectly with her mother's stupid plans for her life. Yes, it was ironic alright. Now that Zuko was gone, probably for good, all chances of her marrying into nobility, or into anything for that matter, were gone as well. She _wouldn't_ consider another boy (Zuko was a young man now, really, sixteen years old) because none of them could_ ever _possibly compare.

Once inside her room, Mai clicked the door shut and turned the lock. Silence; it enveloped her like a soft blanket, cradling her, soothing her nerves and aiding the retrieval of her recollections. Her room, her sanctuary, where there were no distractions, no people, just her books, her knives and her memories; it was her favorite spot in the house and Zuko had never seen it. How improper would that have been? Mai pressed slender fingers to her lips to stop a giggle from escaping. Her mother would most certainly have died from shock if she had found Zuko here.

It was sad really. There was nothing in this room that he had ever touched. She couldn't put her head on the pillow and know that his head had rested there too. Still, she imagined that he would like her room and he would like the silence as much as she did. Mai wondered, like she did every day, where he was and what he was doing. She wondered if he wondered about her, in his own quiet room, away from his uncle and the ship's crew, lulled by the sea's gentle rocking, eyes closed while he stretched out on some rough mat or crude mattress.

Mai lay down on her bed and allowed her eyes to drift shut. In the darkness and in the silence she saw him. Her hand reached out but there was nothing and no one there. One day there _would _be. That was the only thought she clung to. It was the thought that kept her going, allowed her to get up every morning. And on that day, the day that Zuko returned, she could say goodbye to silence.


	49. Chapter 49

**Maiko 100: Prompt #47: Music**

_**Lullaby**_

Mai stood in the doorway of the nursery and watched with wonder as Zuko hummed to their newborn daughter, occasionally letting a word or two of the old song slip out. He cradled the little blanketed bundle in his arms and stroked her thatch of black hair, then her cheek, then her adorable button nose. He was so immersed in the moment that Mai didn't exist; no one did but Zuko and the tiny girl.

Zuko didn't sing. Zuko never showed an interest in music. Mai recalled her husband's stories of Iroh's music nights on the ship and how he had hated them. Somewhere between then and now, between being a banished prince and a young Fire Lord, husband and first time father, those feelings changed.

She took a long final look, wanting to imprint the image on her mind somehow, so that she would never forget it. Mai's cheeks were damp as she turned and walked down the corridor. Later that evening, as she and Zuko got ready for bed, Mai began to hum the same tune. She put a gentle hand on her daughter's stomach as she slumbered in a bassinet next to their own bed. Zuko stood behind her and encircled her waist with his arms.

"My mother sang that lullaby to me," he whispered. "The memory is so clear. It's something of hers I can give to _our _daughter."

Mai nodded. "It's beautiful. And she definitely likes it. I never thought that I would hear you sing, Zuko."

"That little girl there, she changes everything for us, just like you changed everything for me."

He rested his chin on her shoulder and peered down at the sleeping child.


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: Looks like I'm on a roll.**

**Maiko 100: Prompt #48: Dance**

_**For you, anything**_

"Come on, Zuko," Aang encouraged the Fire Lord. "It's your wedding. You have to dance."

Zuko pouted like a little boy, all dressed up in his wedding finery, new wife beside him and the music getting louder and more playful as the time passed.

"Look, I've told you that I hate dancing; I feel clumsy and awkward and self conscious."

"And the difference with dancing is _what_?" Mai gave Zuko a glare and then a poke with one pointy fingertip. "Everyone is waiting for us. No one else can dance unless we do it first."

"Nonsense; there's nothing stopping anyone from dancing," Zuko snapped.

"Tradition; something it's nice to adhere to sometimes," Mai reminded her husband. "Don't be such a wimp."

"Fine, but don't blame me if I stomp all over your toes."

Zuko got up roughly from his high backed chair and offered a hand to Mai. She gave him a smirk and took it, following him out onto the dance floor. The music stopped then and everyone watched as the newly married couple stood hand in hand, waiting.

"Everyone is staring," Zuko hissed.

His cheeks grew red and his hands grew sticky.

"Who cares?" Mai replied with a roll of her eyes. "You're the Fire Lord. People will always stare at you. Right now, just pretend that we're alone."

"So we just randomly decided to dance?" Zuko stared into Mai's eyes, inhaled deeply and readied himself.

"Exactly; we're in our room and the mood to dance suddenly struck."

"That would never happen," Zuko contradicted his wife. She shot him another glare. "But I'll try."

Mai nodded to the band leader and the music began again, something sweet and romantic this time. Zuko clenched his jaw and began to move, jerkily at first, like he had little control over his limbs. His hand on the small of Mai's back was damp and his fingers pressed hard into Mai's spine.

"Ease up, you're hurting me," she said softly into his ear.

"Sorry."

Zuko's voice was contrite. Hurting Mai in any way was the last thing he wanted to do. Dancing poorly was enough of an insult to his wife. He lightened the pressure of his fingers and inhaled deeply, recalling his breathing exercises and meditation. That helped and his body began to relax. Zuko's jaw was unclenched now and he moved more freely.

"Listen to the music," his wife encouraged him. "Just go with it."

Zuko did and decided to enjoy himself too. He held his beautiful wife in his arms. It was his wedding day. The present was wonderful and for once in his life, the future was full of promise. He twirled Mai around, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He didn't look at anyone else; he forgot that other people were even there. Zuko concentrated on Mai's face, her cheeks slightly pink now and her eyes shining. 'Beautiful 'did not do her justice.

"I'm really glad that I married you," he uttered softly as the song came to a close. "I love you, Mai. And I'll dance with you anytime you want."

"That's good because I see at least two more weddings happening sooner rather than later. And much as I like Toph, I prefer you for a dance partner."

Mai planted a lingering kiss on her husband's lips and pulled him off the dance floor. People applauded but Zuko took no notice. The sway of his wife's hips as she walked ahead of him was mesmerizing.


	51. Chapter 51

**Maiko 100: Prompt#49: Nurture**

_**Perfect Partnership**_

No one but her uncle had ever encouraged Mai to do anything before other than sit quietly and look pretty. She was accustomed to disinterest and even outright opposition to her knife throwing. There were better things to spend her time one. It wasn't lady like or appropriate. It was dangerous. The list of complaints went on and on and Mai learned to simply ignore her parents and her parents' friends. There would be no nurturing of her abilities, no encouragement and no exclamations of pride.

It hurt. But rather than brood and mope, Mai pushed the pain aside, something she was also skilled at, and continued to learn. She would simply have to nurture herself. Independence was a good thing, wasn't it? Needing people only made you weak. Azula certainly tried to drum that into her head. But deep down, Mai wanted to need someone and wanted someone to need her. Try as she might to repress _that_ particular desire, she couldn't quite.

Then she met Zuko again, finally, after three years of banishment. The prince was confused and damaged, moody and so obviously hurting. When he met her eyes and she saw the pain, naked and raw, along with the light, a light she put there, Mai knew that he needed her. She could help Zuko through this troubling time, if he would let her.

And when he first saw her train and interest showed on his face, genuine delight at her ability in fact, Mai knew that _he_ would nurture her too. It was a good partnership, one that could last a lifetime, one she wanted to last a lifetime. And it did.


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: I can't believe that I've actually completed half the prompts. :)**

**Maiko 100: Prompt #50: Destroy**

_**Musings at Night**_

"Mai," he moaned quietly in his sleep.

Zuko's brow was furrowed; his eyes clenched shut, and his entire body rigid. The prince kicked at the sleeping bag encasing him like tight bindings, restrictive and suffocating. When he finally hauled himself out of the nightmare he was having, Zuko rubbed at his tired eyes and stared blankly into the silky darkness of the Fire Nation summer night.

The fire had died down some time ago. There was no residual heat coming from it. His new allies all slept soundly, snoring lightly or making little pleased sounds. He wasn't quite ready to call them friends yet, though he did trust each and every one, despite death threats and questioning looks thrown his way. They were good people, decent and kind and all trying to do the right thing. It was refreshing really, being with them.

But all that, combined with Zuko's knowledge that_ here_ with these people was exactly where he had to be, did nothing to quell his anxiety over Mai and his terrible fear that somehow his actions had destroyed the connection they shared. Mai was angry at him. _That_ he could deal with. But Mai's glistening eyes, looking through the small window of the cell door, accusing, pleading, and so sad, almost killed him.

At that moment, only hours earlier really, looking into her pale gold eyes, he had found himself unable to move. It was as if roots had sprung from the soles of the cheap prison shoes on his feet and wormed their way through the cold stone of the prison floor, rendering him incapable of leaving that spot. He felt his own eyes grow moist. He wanted to yank open the door and drag her out into the hallway, pull her along with him on his journey. The need to touch her again boiled in him hotly. He wanted to feel her lips, her soft skin once more. But he needed to leave and leave her behind, keep her safe, away from the taint of his treason. Zuko used all his willpower to break both the gaze _and_ the desire. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then turned and ran. Her sacrifice just a few minutes later had left him stunned beyond words and sick with worry. But the worry would do him no good so he valiantly attempted to shove it aside. It showed itself in sleep though, sneaky and clever, finding its way into his dreams.

Now, back at the Western Air Temple, the traitor prince enjoyed the feel of the warm breeze on his skin and imagined that it was Mai's fingers caressing him. Zuko wanted to stop his father and bring peace to the world but if Mai was gone from_ his_ world, there would be no happiness for him. The peace would be hollow and mocking and a constant reminder of the love he had ruined. But maybe he wasn't giving Mai enough credit. Maybe he wasn't giving himself enough. Wasn't it possible for her to love him, Zuko, enough to forgive and move on? Wasn't she capable of changing and understanding too?

The sun rose, casting a rosy glow over the sky, and Zuko yawned.

"Mai," he whispered and then smiled. "Hang on."


	53. Chapter 53

**Maiko 100: Prompt #51: Family**

_**Nontraditional**_

Zuko had always defined the word 'family' in the traditional sense; family was comprised of blood relatives, some loved and some not. He supposed that despite his father and sister, their power madness and their heartlessness, he had done alright by family. He had his mother's love and kindness to remember and his Uncle Iroh's love and guidance to rely on now.

But Zuko had adopted a new definition for family, one he had learned while falling further in love with Mai, their heady first days back in the Fire Nation a balm for his guilt and his torment and his confusion. She was what family should be and the more enamored with her he became, the better he got to know her, the more he began to think of Mai as just that. Mai loved but not blindly. She saw his faults and accepted them. But she would not tolerate his whining and his moping or his misdirected anger. She stood up for herself and Zuko respected that.

And _he_ would do anything to protect _her_, anything to keep her safe from harm. He gave his love to her like he had never given it to another. He let the real Zuko, the one that almost died years before, show himself to her. It was so easy and such a blessed relief. Everything with Mai was comfortable despite their arguments and their conflicts. Beside her was where he wanted to spend the rest of his years. She was his family.

And when they made it official on their wedding day, in front of hundreds of people, most of them strangers, it was but going through the motions. If Zuko thought about it hard enough, he would realize that the ebony haired woman dressed in bridal robes and looking so beautiful that he found it hard to breathe, had been family from the moment he first set eyes on her all those years ago. Some part of him knew that. Some part of him always had.


	54. Chapter 54

**Maiko 100: Prompt #52: Parents**

_**Breaking the Mold**_

It was difficult not to panic. A baby was expected of them, someone to continue the royal bloodline, someone to take over the throne one day far into the future. And both Mai and Zuko wanted a child, no children, as well. In fact, neither could imagine sharing the love that they did, and not having a family together. The wonder of just what kind of little person they could produce was too enticing and the thought of raising a son or daughter together overwhelmed both Mai and Zuko with emotion. Still, it was impossible not to be terrified.

When they began to try for a child, the baby was just a far off imagined sort of ephemeral concept. And when the couple first learned that Mai was pregnant, the child was invisible still, though making itself known to Mai in its own way. But when her abdomen began to swell and the baby was there for everyone to see, a presence that wouldn't be ignored, the Fire Lord and his lady wondered what kind of parents they would make.

Mai certainly had poor examples to use for a reference. Hers had been cool and indifferent, short on affection and concerned not with Mai herself, but with what Mai could do for them. Zuko's examples were more extreme; an abusive father whose disappointment and disgust were palpable and a loving mother who sacrificed all to keep him alive. And then there was Iroh, of course, a surrogate father of sorts, whose patience and love saw Zuko through some of his darkest days.

When their first child arrived, after the pain of birth had subsided and the flurry of guests and gifts had ended, Mai and Zuko were left with a vulnerable, helpless boy, completely dependent on them. They sat up some of those early nights, just watching their son sleep, grateful that he had survived another day under their care. But as the weeks passed and the baby grew bigger, snuggled happily with both his parents, gurgled contentedly and gave them his first bright smile, the first time parents finally began to relax. Maybe they could do this thing well after all. The love was certainly there and that in itself changed so much. They _wanted _their son to be happy and well adjusted and that changed things too. They cared and they worried and they did their very best, both of them, working in partnership, not fighting each other. _Their_ family would be different, not perfect, but infinitely better. Mai and Zuko were certain of that now.


	55. Chapter 55

**Maiko 100: Prompt#53: Siblings **

_**It doesn't have to be the Same**_

If his mother's words were true, and really, why would she lie about such a thing, Zuko adored his baby sister, Azula. When she still resided within the warmth of their mother's womb, the little, almost two year old prince would talk to her, spouting nonsensical but affectionate ramblings. Ursa, in fact, had to practically pry her son away from her bulging belly at nights.

When she went into labor, Zuko was far more excited than Ozai had been. He longed for a playmate, someone to share the simple joys of childhood with. The _older _prince wasn't sure what he wanted or what he expected; perfection and power would be a good start. Zuko was woefully lacking in both, at least so far.

Zuko's favorite servant tried to keep him occupied while Ursa endured the pain of her second delivery. But when he heard the infant's first cries, he burst into the bedchamber and peered into his sister's amber coloured eyes. She was in the arms of the midwife, being gently cleaned off and readied for her mother.

"Zuko," his mother had chastised gently. "You should have waited. But since you're here now, come and sit with me."

He climbed carefully up onto the bed with his mother, taking note of her sweat soaked hair and the faint smell of blood, and waited for the midwife to hand over the new baby.

"You have a sister and her name is Azula."

"Zula," he repeated, his tongue and lips struggling to form the word.

He petted her head and gave her a kiss. When Ozai came in to see his second child, Zuko slid off the bed and ran back out into the hallway with the servant. He could see more of Azula later.

As the years passed and he grew into adulthood, Zuko often wondered where it had all gone so horribly wrong. Siblings should love each other, shouldn't they? They should protect and help each other. That's what his friends, Sokka and Katara did. But their upbringing had been so very different from his and Azula's. And neither of them was filled with the desire to crush and destroy, beat down and conquer. Neither of them was cold and heartless.

His sister and their failed relationship would always be a source of sorrow for him.

Mai and her much younger brother, on the other hand, had a real chance, and Mai was willing to take it. Despite her previous indifference, she wanted to know the little boy now and tentatively reached out, growing more and more comfortable with each visit that passed. By the time the war had been over for a few years and Tom-Tom was of school age, the pair had a strong bond, one that Zuko shared in too.

It made all three of them happy and that was worth all the work the relationship had taken.

More time passed and they married and had their own children. Zuko worried and fretted that the kids would grow to hate each other. He mediated every silly dispute over a toy or food and frowned upon any kind of conflict. It was too much and eventually Mai intervened.

"Sit," she said one day when their daughter was four and their son two and a half.

Zuko knew that tone well and didn't even bother to argue. He found a place on the sofa and waited for his wife to say her piece.

"You've got to let them be as long as they aren't killing each other." She sat down beside her husband, moving in close, and placed her head on his chest. "I know why you're doing it and I understand, really I do. But, Zuko, you can't make them love each other. We can only do our best to raise them both properly. The rest is up to them. I'm not worried. In fact, I'm pretty sure that they'll be fine. And as they get older, we can talk to them about things. Just let them be kids now. Kids fight. It's normal."

The Fire Lord kissed the top of Mai's head then, inhaling the comforting scent of her, and sighed. "I know that you're right. But it's like I can't help myself. If they turn out like me and Azula, I don't know what I'll do."

"They are _not_ you and Azula. They are completely different people, okay. And they are both loved equally by both of us. That has to count for something."

Zuko nodded. "I do love them, so much that it hurts sometimes."

"You're a good father and they're good children. Let's just leave it at that, all right?"

"I'll do my best." Zuko wrapped an arm around her then and held her close.

He thanked Agni that she was there to temper his obsessiveness and listen to his worries. He thanked Agni that she was willing to do it. He thanked Agni that his children had her for a mother.


	56. Chapter 56

**Maiko 100: Prompt #54: Friends**

_**Safety Net**_

It was so very strange having friends, strange for both Mai _and_ Zuko. They were a private pair, accustomed to quiet times spent alone, enjoying each other's company and quite content to leave it at that. Never having had friends, not really, besides each other, it was difficult to see the appeal.

This group of people that Zuko had lived and trained and fought with, were noisy and exuberant, full of opinions, both requested and not, full of quirky and strange comments and observations and, as it turned out, eminently likeable.

"So what do you think?" Zuko was looking at Mai almost nervously as she undressed for the night. He anticipated both her answer and the sight of her naked in his chambers. With his coronation only hours old, and the world just coming to understand that the war was truly over, Zuko could only think about Mai and her reaction to his friends, and the fact that she had chosen to spend the night with him.

"They seem all right. I think that Toph might be my favorite." She fiddled with an unruly knot and then pulled off the final layer of her clothing. Reaching for one of Zuko's silk shirts, she pulled it over her head and slipped under the covers. "It's fine, Zuko. I like them all."

Relieved, the Fire Lord undressed, grabbed some sleep pants and joined Mai in bed. They were asleep within minutes.

* * *

As the weeks passed, the idea of friends and the reality too, became something of a joy for the couple. Mai could talk with Suki about Zuko and she in turn made confessions about Sokka. Toph and Mai shared stories of growing up privileged and smothered at the same time, while she and Sokka talked about projectile weapons ad nauseam. Zuko and Aang shared a special kind of bond and their friendship was tested many times over the following months during strenuous and tense negotiations.

After awhile, it seemed as though these people had been a part of their lives forever. Mai and Zuko came to look forward to their frequent visits and even depend on the advice and affection and support that they gave.

Those friendships could never surpass the one that Mai and Zuko shared, however. Theirs was one born of an almost instant connection, a need to feel secure and cared for by _someone_ and miraculously, their bond survived tragedy and separation, not growing weaker, but stronger. It buoyed them every day of their lives, an invisible safety net, ever present,_ always_ there to catch them both should they fall.


	57. Chapter 57

**Maiko 100: Prompt #55: Enemies**

_**Tables are Turned**_

He was the enemy now; how was Mai supposed to deal with that? Desperate to get out of Omashu, she had eagerly agreed to help the princess on her mission. Of course, she hadn't known that _part _of that mission was to hunt Zuko down like an animal. See, he was considered a traitor now, and he was wandering around the Earth Kingdom with his equally traitorous uncle, hiding and skulking, dressed like a common peasant no doubt, penniless and hungry. That was Azula's take on the situation and she seemed to revel in it. Then, she always reveled in Zuko's misfortune. Why would this time be any different?

So Mai, keeping a smile on her face, had to go along with things, her feelings for Zuko warranting no special treatment. Well, Azula probably didn't expect that; Mai didn't smile very often after all. But she couldn't question anything. Instead, every night when she went to bed, Ty Lee on the other side of the huge, ornate, blazingly orange Fire Nation tent, Mai silently hoped that they wouldn't meet Zuko the following day.

Life was certainly strange. For the past three years, every night when she went to bed, Mai had wished that she _would_ meet Zuko. Even while incarcerated within the city walls of Omashu, the ebony haired girl had still hoped. The banished prince was traveling the world after all. It was possible that he might stop in Omashu for some reason. In fact, _that_ singular possibility was the very best part of her seemingly endless stay in the achingly dull city.

Could she fight him? Could she actually take out a blade and throw it at Zuko? Would he be willing to toss fire at her? Would he even recognize her? If he didn't, she might cry later. Mai would recognize him; she was certain of that. His face was forever imprinted on her memory. Time and a scar would make no difference.

Or would Mai run to him instead, leave Azula behind and join with the traitors, just happy to be with her love once again?

She never had to make any of those decisions and she was glad for it. When they finally did meet, it wasn't as 'enemies' but as two lonely people who just wanted to go home, with each other. It was one of the best moments of her short life.


	58. Chapter 58

**Maiko 100: Prompt #56: Teammates**

_**Not Alone Anymore**_

The beach was empty now, quiet and peaceful, even romantic. All the howling children and doting parents, and the teenagers there just to ogle other teenagers had gone back to their beach houses or inns for the night. Mai and Zuko felt like the only people in the world as they walked hand in hand along the damp sand, the waves moving in gently over their bare feet and then back out again, a primal rhythm, one that existed long before anyone had ever set foot on the shores of Ember Island. Moonlight sparkled on the ocean's surface, giving it an ethereal appearance. The couple didn't talk; they looked over at each other almost shyly every few seconds, unsure what to say and comfortable in the silence anyway. Earlier they had exchanged angry, hurtful words; perhaps their best communication was done without them.

Zuko gestured to a secluded little cove and Mai nodded her agreement. They settled down in the drier sand, further away from the water's edge and looked out across the waves. The sound of them was soothing, like a balm for tortured souls. Inching not so subtly closer to Mai, Zuko put an arm around her shoulders and drew her tight against him. Mai didn't resist. His warmth felt good; it always felt good and she had no intention of denying herself that pleasure. She leaned her head down on his shoulder and sighed.

"Okay?" Zuko finally asked.

"Mmmm, I'm good." Mai's gravelly voice had a slightly dreamy quality to it.

"Today was weird, wasn't it?"

"That's one word to describe the day." This time the dry humor was back.

"I was a jerk; sorry." Zuko sounded genuinely contrite.

"You already said that; no need to say it again."

Mai pressed herself into Zuko further. The breeze coming off the water was suddenly cool. She could feel the goose bumps on her arms.

"Do you want to go back?" He rubbed a hand up and down her exposed arm.

"No; I like it right here."

The couple said nothing for a few minutes and Mai almost fell asleep. Zuko was strangely proud that she trusted him enough to do that. He then felt promptly strange for feeling proud. Why wouldn't she feel safe enough to fall asleep with him right next to her? Shaking his head, he kissed the top of hers, a spontaneous gesture that earned a sweet smile from Mai.

"You know, when we played on the beach earlier and when we destroyed Chan's house, it felt like we were teammates, you and I. I've never been on a team before. It felt kind of good."

"A team of vandals, that's interesting." Mai rolled her eyes but she understood what Zuko meant.

So much of their lives had been spent alone and sad. How could it not feel right to finally be with someone, work with someone, someone that you cared about, and wanted to spend time with? Both of them had longed for such a connection for years. They had it once, more than three years earlier. It was still developing then, and fragile, but it was there. Somehow it managed to remain despite their separation and when they met again, it grew swiftly into something powerful and strong.

"A team; you and I together." Zuko whispered the words.

Mai looked up at him then, breaking free of his grip. She gave his hair a playful tug and then kissed him.

"I can live with that." Mai snuggled into his side again and this time she did fall asleep.


	59. Chapter 59

**Maiko 100: Prompt #57: Strangers**

_**Mystery**_

Even when they hadn't officially met, Mai felt closer to Zuko than she did to her own parents. They were, if one went by the definition of the word, strangers to each other, yet after just a few glances, they had a connection stronger than any she had felt before. She wasn't sure if that was pathetically sad or amazingly wonderful. It certainly didn't say much for those basic relationships in her life, ones that were supposed to be strong and supportive and reassuring, did it?

The little dark haired girl, with buns and ribbons in her hair couldn't wait to leave her noble parents' house, leave their expectations and their offhand remarks, the cruelty of which Mai wondered if they understood. She was a girl, a daughter, a disappointment, good for only one thing; making an advantageous marriage.

The little dark haired girl with buns and ribbons in her hair couldn't wait to arrive at the palace, where there was always a chance that she might see Prince Zuko. He didn't expect anything from her. In fact, it would appear that her presence alone was enough to make him smile that sad sort of lonely smile he had. She felt powerful all of a sudden. Zuko smiled because of _her_. His smile made her smile. Then she blushed and he answered with a flushing face of his own.

How two people, strangers really, managed to convey so much in just a few looks was a mystery to Mai and she contemplated it in bed at night, alone and free and in the dark. It was a beautiful mystery. She wondered if finding the answer to it would ruin things.

Later, when they were strangers no longer, Mai recalled those early moments and recalled the sense of joy that she had felt. The mystery was mysterious no longer but that was all right. Knowing was even better.


	60. Chapter 60

A/N: I will never, ever tire of writing Zuko as a new father or Mai as a new mother. I suppose it's their backgrounds that compels me to give them a happy family story and I'm hardly unique in that. And imagining Zuko as a dad is just too much fun. :)

**Maiko 100: Prompt #58: Time**

_**Feast to Famine**_

At one point in his life, time was about the only thing that Zuko could claim as his own. It was his in vast quantities, stretching out before him in long days and months and years. Every morning when he awoke and the disappointment and anger cut through him afresh, the exiled prince had to manufacture things to do. He trained and trained some more, and meditated, and then meditated some more. He pored over maps of the world, old ones and new ones, read anything about the Avatar he could get his hands on and sulked, alone in his cold, metal room, more like a prison cell than he would ever admit.

Now, he was Fire Lord of a nation trying its best to reestablish its place in the world, a nation that needed desperately to regain its honour and time was in short supply. Now he was also husband to Mai, the person who kept him sane and kept him in his place, and father to a new baby. Time was a scarce commodity, especially for someone like he who wanted so badly to please.

* * *

Mai turned over in their bed, her eyes bleary, and reached for Zuko's retreating form. "Where are you going?"

The sun wasn't even up and Mai groaned her displeasure at having her sleep disrupted.

"Sorry." Zuko walked back to the bed and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Go back to sleep. I need to get started on those proposals. I have an important meeting tomorrow."

"When you're dead on your feet, what good will you do anybody?" Mai frowned at her husband and then craned her neck so that she could see inside their daughter's bassinet. She still slept soundly, tiny fists curled and rosebud lips pushed out in an adorable pout.

"If I don't get through all of them, I can't spend the evening with you and Kazue. There's never enough time, Mai." He looked almost heartbroken and moved so that he could peek into the bassinet too. Zuko's face softened immediately as he gazed down at his daughter, just three months old. He reached out and ran a finger down the soft thatch of midnight black hair. Kazue never stopped amazing him. He and Mai created this perfect, sweet little person and he wanted so badly to do right by her. And being an absent father did not fit in with those desires.

"Zuko, we've had this discussion. You need to learn the word 'no'. Everything can't get done in one day. You've worked yourself almost to death for five years, only taking breaks when I threatened your life. No more; it has to stop now. Kazue changes every day. I don't want you to miss all of that."

"After today, I'll change things. I promise." He took one last look at their daughter and then headed out the door.

"I've heard _that_ before." Unable to sleep now, Mai cleaned up and got dressed herself. Kazue began to cry with hunger a few minutes later. "It looks like it's just you and me again, sweetie." The Fire Lady picked the infant up lovingly, took her to the sofa and began to nurse. "Although, I think that we'll pay Daddy a little visit later. What do you day to that?"

As if she understood, Kazue pulled back from Mai's breast and looked up at her mother with bright gold eyes. Then she smiled a toothless smile. Mai couldn't help but smile back.

* * *

A servant brought lunch to Zuko's office and Mai followed close behind, Kazue dozing lightly against her chest.

"Thank you, Sun. I'll take it from here."

"Yes, my lady." The older woman bowed respectfully and left the room.

Her mouth set in a thin line, Mai strode purposefully over to the desk, removed the papers Zuko was reading and placed the infant in his arms. "Kazue wants to see her father and I want to see my husband. You're going to take an hour for lunch and you're going to enjoy it. When we're done here, we're going outside for a little walk. And you're having dinner with us as well and_ not_ going back to the office after. Do you understand?"

Zuko glanced down at the soft, warm bundle in his arms. He kissed Kazue's head and put his big grown-up finger against the palm of her hand. She clutched on tight and Zuko grinned. Agni knew he wanted to make up for all the damage that his nation had caused. He wanted to make it the best country it could possibly be. But none of that would mean anything without his family, without Mai and their daughter. He felt ashamed for a moment that he had ever put them second, even without meaning to.

"I understand now; I really do. I love you, Mai and you know that I adore Kazue. I would be nothing without you both and I'll make sure to spend less time here and more doing things with my family."

"Oh yes, yes you will." With a smirk, Mai pulled out one of the many blades she kept on her person and twirled it expertly. Her eyes gleamed like the well polished metal. "My knives can be very convincing."


	61. Chapter 61

**Maiko 100: Prompt #59: Suspicion**

_**Regrets**_

Looking back at that moment, days later, after she had finally stopped shedding those damnable tears, Mai realized that she had known. She had known that Zuko was going to leave her behind again, leave her in Capitol City while he sought out the Avatar. He would prostrate himself at the boy's feet, offer himself up like a sacrifice to the gods. And she would be alone again.

As soon as Zuko emerged from the war room wearing that confused, hurt and betrayed look, Mai had been suspicious. Something was most definitely wrong. He accepted her touch but refused to talk about the meeting in anything but vague almost mysterious terms. Actually, he more than_ accepted _her touch. He was hungry for it, desperate almost and the sheer force of his feelings just about overwhelmed Mai.

She should have pushed him. She should have demanded answers. But Mai was afraid; afraid that he would lie, afraid that he would tell the truth and refuse to take her with him. She was terrified of being abandoned once more. Zuko made life bearable. He made her life. Suffering quietly, alone with Azula and Ty Lee again, was unacceptable. Yet she said nothing and she let him go without a fight.

That would not happen ever again. Mai only hoped now that she would have the chance to prove it.

* * *

A/N: I got to thinking about that moment in NaDD and wondered if perhaps Mai did indeed know, somewhere inside herself, that Zuko was about to do something momentous ie leave and join up with his father's "enemies". Perhaps, perhaps not, but if she did and let him go without speaking, I'm sure she would regret that.

I feel bad that the drabble is so terribly short. :( Sorry! The next one 'guilt' will deal with Zuko and his feelings about leaving.


	62. Chapter 62

**Alabaster's Maiko 100: Prompt #60: Guilt **

_**Contemplation**_

Zuko was positive that he'd lived with one form of guilt or another almost his entire life. He felt guilt for disappointing his father. He felt guilt when his mother left, as if somehow he was responsible. As it turned out, he was, though through no fault of his own. He felt guilt for siding with Azula and not his Uncle Iroh. Every day the man spent in prison wore at Zuko, eroded him like the waves did stones. But instead of being made smooth and rounded, he felt all jagged and sharp as though his inner turmoil could slice someone, make them bleed and cry out in pain.

It affected Mai; as much as Zuko was often clueless about people and as much as Mai was tough and strong, that blasé shell hiding almost everything, he_ knew_ how he hurt her sometimes. A subtle shifting of her body away from him or a quick flash of pain in her eyes, so quick that he could easily miss it, a tone even more bored than usual, were all hints. He knew and most of the time he blundered ahead anyway, his tongue ahead of his brain.

Zuko also knew how much he meant to Mai. It was difficult for him to believe that someone so beautiful and bright and perfect could actually care for a screw up like him. But still he knew that she did. So writing that letter to her, that pathetic letter that really said nothing, sent him spiraling deeper into the pit he already occupied. He imagined her finding it on her bed, tied so prettily with red ribbon. Compared to Mai, he was transparent. She probably already knew it was from him and what it said. But the weight of the paper in her hand, his characters drawn there, would make that supposition a stark reality. He imagined her crying and that almost sent him into despair.

Mai was alone now, with no one but Azula and Ty Lee for company. He wondered how she was managing. He wondered just how angry she was. Should he have explained himself to her? Should he have asked her to come along, join the Avatar's group with him, turn traitor for him? All he wanted was for her to be safe. Should something happen to her ever, because of his actions, Zuko knew that he would not be able to live with himself.

Then came the Boiling Rock Prison; guilt then reached a higher plain, a completely new level. Abandoning her there tore his heart out. Watching her fight for him _despite _all that filled him with so many other emotions; pride, fear and a love so strong that it hurt. She was _his _Mai and Zuko hoped that if he survived, she could forgive.


	63. Chapter 63

**Maiko 100: Prompt #61: Birth**

_**New Life**_

It wasn't that she was scared exactly; having a baby was perfectly natural, what a woman's body was designed for. And Mai's pregnancy had been easier than most, if she went by all the stories that she'd heard over the course of her lifetime. Her own mother's tales were the worst; for someone so prissy and delicate, she certainly could be graphic and full of drama. If Mai took the woman seriously, she would be laid up for weeks, weakened and miserable and in terrible pain; and that was before actually having the baby.

"If I caused her that much trouble, no wonder she never liked me," Mai quipped.

She lay on the sofa, her head on Zuko's lap. He played with her long, loose hair, winding it around his fingers, letting it go and then winding it again. They'd been in the same position for an hour now.

"There's_ no_ excuse for the way she treated you; none. You were a gift and she tossed you away because you had the nerve to be a girl. I hope we have a girl first." He trembled with anger now and mentally pictured throttling Mai's mother.

"No need to get all intense, Zuko. I'm over it. We're going to have our own family and we'll do our best not to make the same mistakes."

Mai struggled to sit up. She was already past her due date by a few days and her belly was enormous. Much as she had enjoyed her pregnancy, enough was enough now. She wanted to meet the tiny creation who had been banging on her insides for weeks as if impatient herself to get out. Groaning, she leaned into Zuko and then let out a big, exasperated sigh.

"Are you okay?" Zuko put a hand on her stomach, tight and hard as a drum, and felt a little foot or fist, he wasn't sure which. "Amazing; I'll never get used to that."

"That's because you don't feel the almost nonstop kicking like I do. Come on kid; time to come out and say hello."

* * *

Later that night, Mai got her wish. After three hours of relatively peaceful sleep, a sharp pain woke her up. Breathing through it, she waited. It was ten minutes before another pain hit. Mai gave Zuko's shoulder a shake, then another harder one.

"The baby's coming," she whispered in his ear.

The Fire Lord jerked awake then, eyes wide open and completely alert. He scrambled out of the bed and ran for the midwife, nothing but sleep pants on. The sound of Zuko stampeding through the corridors awakened several servants. They opened their doors and peered out into the dimly lit halls, catching glimpses of a speeding bare-chested figure.

"Lady Mai must be having the baby," one of the women assumed.

"The Fire Lord is certainly on a mission," another replied.

When Zuko came barreling back, the middle aged midwife more than a few steps behind, a row of people watched from open doorways. They yawned and rubbed at their eyes and called out good wishes.

"It isn't here yet, is it?" Zuko asked breathlessly as he shoved open the door and took in Mai's sweat damp face and the thin line of her set mouth.

She gestured to the huge mound that was her belly. "Does it look like it?"

"Oh, um, no," he replied sheepishly. "The midwife is here." He pulled a chair over to the bed and sat close to Mai. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Mai let out a low moan as answer. Her teeth were clamped together tightly and her fists were curled up in the fine red silk of the sheets.

"I'm going to take a look now, Lady Mai." The midwife pushed up the covers and proceeded to examine the woman. After a few minutes, she declared that everything was proceeding normally.

"So that's good, right?" Zuko asked stupidly. "Ugh, what's wrong with me? Of course it's good."

Mai rolled her eyes and grabbed onto Zuko's hand. "Make yourself useful," she growled and dug her fingernails into his palm as another contraction hit.

Five hours passed, the pains coming closer and closer together until it was finally time for Mai to push. The midwife, who had witnessed hundreds of births, instructed Mai calmly and her hands were deft and sure.

"Are you sure that you want to be here, Fire Lord Zuko? It can get pretty messy." She gave the man a cheeky sort of smile.

"Yes, I'm sure. I want to see my child come into the world."

And come in she did; after an hour of pushing, their little girl arrived, pink and angry looking with clenched fists and a cry that could be heard halfway down the long corridor outside their rooms. After a quick clean up and check over of both mother and child, the midwife handed the baby to Zuko. He held her awkwardly at first but quickly adjusted. Staring at her with open wonder, his eyes filled with tears.

"I've never seen anything so amazing in my life. Look at her, Mai."

"Well, I'm trying to; down here, please."

She wriggled her way up to a sitting position, wincing at the pain, and then held out her arms. Zuko handed Mai the child, but not before taking another lingering look and placing a gentle kiss on its forehead.

"You're right. She is amazing." The pain was forgotten as Mai looked deep into her daughter's eyes for the very first time. She touched her cheeks and her fingers and her toes. The new mother ran a finger along the fine hair that covered her head. "And we made her, Zuko. _We_ made her."

"We did," Zuko chuckled. "I'm so happy to have a daughter. I hope that makes up a little bit for your parents not feeling the same way about you."

It was Mai's turn to tear up. "It does, Zuko. None of that matters anymore." Repeating her words of earlier that night she added, "We have our own family now."

She turned back to her baby, already hopelessly and eternally in love.


	64. Chapter 64

**Maiko 100: Prompt #62: Death**

_**Failed Attempt**_

She wasn't given to philosophizing, so Mai had never really contemplated death and what it might mean, both to the person who died and those close to him, left behind and bereft. It wasn't until the assassination attempt in Omashu, when Zuko lay dying on a bed in King Bumi's castle, poison circulating through his blood, that she gave death some real thought.

Mai knew instantly that losing Zuko would mark her forever, leave her irrevocably altered and not for the better. She saw herself shutting down again, despite the protests of her friends and despite the knowledge that Zuko himself would be furious. Loving someone else, ever, was simply out of the question. Zuko completed her like on one else ever could. She was very fortunate to have met him at all, the perfect match, her other half. Blubbering displays of emotion were not her style, but she would retreat to her rooms and mourn in her own quiet way.

The world would never look the same again; a world without Zuko in it would be darker and barren, a terrible place to live out her remaining years.

Mai wondered what would be become of her beloved. Iroh talked of the Spirit World sometimes, a strange, hazy, almost frightening place it was, according to the old man. Would Zuko end up there or once his body burned would he be gone forever, the only evidence left of his existence being the items he left behind and the memories that others held of him. Not sure which was best, Mai hoped fervently for Zuko's survival. He could die another day, far in the future, when she was too damn old to care anymore.

Chuckling darkly at the thought, she grabbed hold of Zuko's hand and urged him to hang on for a few more minutes. His breathing was labored and his fever was high enough to frighten the physician. They awaited the antidote, some bizarre combination of herbs that would reverse the poison's effect.

When a runner brought it to them, held carefully like the most precious jewel in his hand, Mai heaved the biggest sigh of her life, one of tremendous relief and gratitude. It was administered and Zuko came to a few minutes later. He was groggy and weak but very much not dead.

"Why weren't you more careful?" she snapped, her stress finding its release. "I told you that guy looked strange, but you had to walk right up to him and say 'hello'."

"Next time I'll take your advice," the Fire Lord mumbled. "Sorry I worried you. You _were _worried, weren't you?"

Mai closed her eyes for a moment. He had _no _idea. "Yes, you idiot, I was worried."

"You look beautiful." Zuko was smiling almost shyly now.

"I'm a wreck and you know it. I still hate Omashu, maybe even more now."

Zuko laughed. "You hate almost everything."

"Maybe, but there are a few things I like, and you're one of them." She leaned in and kissed his parched lips tenderly. "So make sure this never happens again."


	65. Chapter 65

**Maiko 100: Prompt #63: Sound**

_**Voice**_

Mai's voice was raspy and gravelly, almost masculine. It certainly wasn't the typical female voice, lilting and gentle like he remembered his mother's to be. Zuko loved the sound of it. Whenever she spoke, it could be something completely ordinary like 'Put this on" or "Here's that letter," little shivers of excitement traveled up and down his spine. It felt as if his nerves were all overloaded.

He would never get used to hearing Mai say his name. For three long years, he had tried to recall so many things about the girl he left behind; her eyes, the feel of her hand and the exact tone of her voice. The more time that passed, the harder those recollections became. When they met again, finally, her first word was his name. She said it with wonder and trepidation and just a little bit of genuine fear; as if she thought that perhaps he would not return the greeting. Her voice uttering those two syllables was the most beautiful sound in the world.

It was a bit deeper than he remembered. She'd matured, of course, as he had; three years was a long time when you were only twelve and thirteen years old. And once she got over her initial nervousness, a jaded, bored quality appeared. Those three years had taken the last of Mai's spontaneity and joy away, qualities she never had in great abundance anyway. Her voice said everything about her life; don't express yourself, don't feel too much. That's not proper for a young noblewoman.

Zuko wanted desperately to hear _more_. He wanted her to laugh, to exclaim with excitement and joy and pleasure. It took some time, but it happened and the sound of her voice crying out his name, all inhibitions gone, almost brought tears to his eyes. _His_ name on_ her_ lips was all that he needed. It made him strong and gave him courage. Zuko knew without a doubt that he was loved.


	66. Chapter 66

A/N: since the first one is so very short, I decided to write an extra two

**Maiko 100: Prompt #64: Smell**

_**Forgiveness**_

Whenever Zuko did something to upset Mai, and that wasn't often, and he needed to apologize, he took _one_ fire lily from the royal greenhouses (where there were always some in bloom) and placed it on her pillow. She couldn't quite remember how that little tradition had started, but Mai liked it.

No words were exchanged. Zuko didn't humbly mumble an "I'm sorry" or beg for forgiveness. He didn't get down on his knees and plead. Mai didn't chastise or berate her husband. That one flower, vibrantly red and smelling sweetly of passion and warmth and love, symbolized Zuko's admission of guilt and his genuine sorrow for having hurt her.

Mai plucked it from the pillow and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply and then giving Zuko a crooked smile. She accepted his apology and nothing more needed to be done.

For as long as she lived, the smell of fire lilies made her instantly think of Zuko and his love for her.

* * *

_**Distinctive**_

Mai never realized that Zuko had his own smell, something original just to him, until she met him again in Ba Sing Se. When she stood close to him, close enough to see the pain and confusion in his eyes, close enough to feel his trembling, her memory was piqued. The scent was more mature now, as if it had grown along with its owner, but was still recognizable. It was masculine but not overwhelming, with hints of sandalwood and cinnamon backed by something fiery and powerful. As a young girl, the scent had comforted her. _Now_ it was arousing. She leaned in close and sniffed.

* * *

_**Smells like Home**_

He could smell her everywhere; on the sheets, where her head rested on her pillow, in their wardrobe and in the very air of their rooms. The further he walked away from the residential wing, to council chambers perhaps, or the library, Mai's scent began to dilute. Other smells took its place. When he passed the kitchen, the odors of cooking meat and baking and spices wafted up to his nose. In his office, he was surrounded by the smells of paper and ink and the polish that the servants used to keep his desk shiny looking.

As his work day ended and he shut his office door or let the curtains of the council room fall behind him, as he moved closer and closer to the rooms he shared with Mai, her scent would reappear, faintly at first, but growing steadily stronger. When it was all he could smell, Zuko knew that he was home.


	67. Chapter 67

**Maiko 100: Prompt #65: Taste**

_**Savor**_

The Fire Nation's royal couple was visiting Ba Sing Se, their place of refuge and quiet, a place where they could be casual and easy and completely free. Iroh saw to that. His love and good humor and always warm welcomes, immediately stripped away any stress the young married pair might be feeling.

For some reason, Mai wasn't sure why, Zuko had taken to cooking, but only at the Jasmine Dragon. He certainly didn't _need _the skill. He would never be required to cook anything for his entire life, well not unless he was banished again. Mai_ certainly_ didn't see that happening. But he wanted to learn and to experiment.

He looked happy when he was in Iroh's huge, well stocked kitchen, puttering about, smelling this herb and that one, feeling the firmness of the vegetables, checking the contents of pots and stirring, always stirring. Mai had to admit that he looked adorable too, with his apron tied neatly, and his face pink from the heat of the kitchen.

Strange how he loved to make things now; Iroh still couldn't quite believe it. During their time as refugees in Ba Sing Se, Zuko had balked at simply brewing tea. Cooking was out of the question. He had changed in so many ways. Yes, he was still intense and emotional, but a certain peace had taken hold of Zuko, a contentment and the ability to find joy in the most mundane of things.

"Here, taste this." Zuko held a steaming spoon out to Mai, full of something that looked like stew, and smelled surprisingly decent.

She opened her mouth willingly enough and he popped the utensil in. It was spicy, enough so that she began to perspire immediately and her tongue felt as though it were on fire. But being Fire Nation meant liking spicy food or starving. Mai definitely loved spicy foods of all kinds and Zuko did too. It was delicious.

"Wow, that's really good, Zuko. You get better and better. We should fire cook and let you take over."

He looked pleased. "Naw, cook's better and I just like making things here. It's part of the whole relaxing thing."

"I get it; and I like watching you…and eating." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Zuko then, the taste that still lingered on her tongue transferring to his.

"Mmmm," he moaned. "It does taste good."

Later that evening, Zuko served his creation to both her and Iroh. She smiled as she watched her husband ladle the stew into her bowl. Moments like these were meant to be savored.


	68. Chapter 68

A/N: I did a drabble that pertains to touch many prompts ago. I think it was for 'hands'. I wasn't smart enough to look forward to future prompts and so used up the best idea. You'll have to settle for this one. ;-)

**Maiko 100: Prompt #66: Touch**

_**From Nothing to Everything**_

_Neither Zuko nor Mai had ever liked to be touched, not really. _

Zuko had enjoyed hugs from his mother and sometimes his uncle and when his cousin Lu Ten was alive, the much older boy would rub his head with affection or give him a gentle punch in the arm. Touches from Azula always involved pain and his father, Ozai, wouldn't lower himself to make contact with the boy at all. His grandfather, Azulon, was some distant figure always hidden behind a wall of flame, terrifying and intimidating and without any warmth at all.

It was easier to avoid contact with people altogether. It was easier to keep himself at arm's length than to be disappointed or hurt once again.

* * *

Young Mai's childhood had been a cold place. From the time she was a toddler, the bright girl knew that somehow she wasn't quite what her parents had hoped for. They never physically hurt her and she was provided with all the luxuries in life, but that parental affection was missing. Her mother and father were there, but not really. They were shallow and unconcerned with the feelings of a little girl. Touching was something done out of necessity rather than love. Mai's mother would brush the girl's hair out, making certain that the shiny black mane looked its best. Her hand would touch Mai's hair and fingers would press down into her skull, holding her head in place. Never, though, did the woman reach out and stroke Mai's cheek or run a hand softly down the length of her hair. Never did she reach down and give the girl a tickle or a pat. Mai didn't expect it anymore. Her only familial affection came from her uncle. Sadly, she didn't see him often, but memories of his rough hugs and teasing pokes made her feel _almost_ like a person worthy of being alive.

* * *

When these two young people, torn apart by Zuko's banishment just as their relationship was beginning to flourish, came together again, _all_ they wanted to do was touch; not other people, only each other. Maybe they were making up for three years with no contact at all. Maybe their feelings for each other were too overwhelming not to express. Words wouldn't do. Words didn't hold the fire that Zuko's hands did. Words didn't have the intensity and passion of Mai's kiss. Touch became everything to the couple. It encircled them, kept them warm, loved them.


	69. Chapter 69

**Maiko 100: Prompt #67: Sight**

_**Overwhelmed**_

It didn't matter how many times he saw Mai, how many weeks and months he spent as her boyfriend, then fiancé and finally husband; the sight of her after just a few hours apart never failed to choke Zuko up. It wasn't just her beauty, which was considerable, and often overwhelmed the Fire Lord, but the love and devotion he saw shining in her eyes. Those feelings were for him and for him alone. Perhaps he still had lingering doubts about his self worth and wondered how in the world Mai could feel that way about _him_, rather than some suave, unmarked, cool and calm man of the world.

Sometimes other things showed in her eyes and on her face; anger, lust, irritation. But even when those emotions came to the front, the love was still there, holding firm and true. She was his and he was hers. There couldn't be anyone else. There wouldn't be anyone else; not for either of them, ever.

* * *

_**Final Vision**_

The illness that claimed Zuko well into his eighty second year came upon him with a terrible swiftness. He was too tired to fight, though the thought of leaving Mai behind broke his heart. She sat with him, outwardly calm, inwardly grief stricken, holding his hand and speaking of old times. Their life together had been full and rich, not without its problems and turmoil. But those troubles served to make them appreciate the good times all the more and strengthen their already unbreakable bond. As Zuko felt himself weaken further and the desire to simply close his eyes became almost too great to resist, he looked at Mai one more time. She was beautiful still, despite the grey hair and the wrinkled skin, perhaps even more beautiful than in her youth. There was wisdom about her now and softness, brought about by motherhood and the birth of grandchildren. Zuko could still see the teenage girl, raven black hair and perfect skin, mouth twisted in a wry smile, gold eyes alive with her love for him. They seemed to meld together, the young and the old and the sight was all that he could wish for.

When his eyes finally drifted closed one final time, he smiled.


	70. Chapter 70

**Maiko 100: Prompt #68: Elements**

_**Perspectives of Fire**_

_**Mai**_

Fire; it never meant that much to Mai. As a non bender, not one of the blessed, it was simply one of the four elements. Fire warmed you, cooked your food and heated your water for tea. It was used as a weapon too, but Mai wasn't interested in that aspect of fire. She had her own weapons. Watching Azula train or terrorize with her flames was a bore.

But after the war ended, and she watched Zuko practice his bending, sometimes joining in with her blades, _something_ in her changed. He had told her of his encounter with the dragons. He'd told her how overwhelming and majestic the masters were and how the true meaning of fire was shown to him.

Through Zuko, through the sheer beauty of his flames, Mai felt it. She understood the majesty of fire. It didn't matter anymore that she wasn't a bender herself. Zuko cared enough to let her see. She was humbled by his gift and yet another connection between them was born.

* * *

_**Zuko**_

Though born a bender and prince of the Fire Nation's royal family, for _Zuko_, fire had always represented frustration and heartache. Uncle called him a late bloomer. Father called him a disgrace and his sister, Azula, called him a failure. It was his element, though, and he wanted so desperately to command it well. He struggled and trained, sometimes for hours at a time. There was improvement and he did attain a certain level. But something was missing. Something wasn't right.

His visit to the temple of the Sun Warriors, and his meeting with the dragons, opened his eyes and his mind. He knew suddenly what had been missing for all those years. Fire was life and warmth and could do so many wonderful things. Bending it was a privilege, something almost spiritual for Zuko, from that moment of revelation onward.

After the war ended and Mai and he were together again, the new Fire Lord demonstrated his _new _fire. Zuko could see it in her eyes, the spark of comprehension and the look of wonder. He was so happy that she understood. He was so happy that Mai wanted to. That moment brought them even closer together. After, they seemed almost as one.


	71. Chapter 71

A/N: I was going to write a story that revolved around seasons. I guess it's going to be here instead; stupid prompt. ;-) Part 2, if I ever get around to it, will be Zuko. There's a shocker. :)

**Maiko 100: Prompt #69: Seasons - Part 1**

_**Mai**_

_**Before**_

Spring was renewal and youth and love and life. People seemed somehow more alive during that particular season. They walked and talked and worked and loved with more enthusiasm than they did during the other seasons. People seemed somehow happier. But for Mai, spring was a season of loss. Zuko had been banished in spring; right at the season's beginning. His tiny ship had sailed off into a spring sunset and she had cried herself to sleep on every spring night afterward.

Summer was trips to the beach and festivals and ice cream and a heat that seemed almost to melt your bones. Gardens wilted and the earth grew dry and hard. The winds off the sea were warm and strong. Some of the many layers of clothing came off, but not too many. Mai didn't change her clothing, though, and she didn't enjoy the season the way that others did. She was still alone and she still thought about Zuko every day and every night. No amount of splashing about in the water and no amount of ice cream could ever take away that pain. Summer was a season of contemplation.

Autumn brought relief from the extreme heat and a shortening of the days. Everything was quieter and people retreated a bit. The nights were velvety soft, with cool breezes and Mai liked to creep out into them, sitting alone in the dark, remembering Zuko. His face was still strong and firm in her mind. His old face, that is. She wasn't quite sure what he looked like now. But that didn't matter. He would always be Zuko, her Zuko, no matter what happened. Autumn was a season of remembrance.

Winter was rain and more rain, dark, gloomy skies and puddles everywhere. It suited Mai more, this weather, and she didn't complain like most others did. As she lay in bed, the sound of the driving rain on the roof above her head was a comforting drumbeat, constant but with subtle variations that she liked to pick out. It fueled her imagination and as her thoughts turned to Zuko, as they invariably did, she pictured him on his ship, determined and strong, seeking out the Avatar and sure to come home soon. Winter was a season of fantasy.

* * *

_**After**_

When the palace gardens bloomed that spring, the first since Zuko's return, she walked hand in hand with the new Fire Lord, her lover, her love, her partner for the rest of her life, and for the first time, Mai really understood why people loved the season. Fresh, mild winds played with her hair and the air was heavy with the fragrance of flowers. Greens upon greens upon greens, lush carpets of grass, were like silk beneath their feet. And when they kissed under the canopy of cherry trees, just now coming into blossom, her heart leapt in her chest. Mai was happy and spring was a beautiful time.

She enjoyed the beach now, not when it was crowded with bathers and underneath the hot summer sun, but when she and Zuko swam at night, all alone, in the black looking water, the moonlight sparkling on its surface. It was thrilling, their naked bodies gliding through the warm water, moving side by side. And when they touched, flesh just grazing, Mai felt little tendrils of heat travel from the point of contact, spreading outward to warm all of her. After swimming they held each other, letting the gentle waves lap against milky white shoulders. Their lips tasted like salt but their kisses were sweet. Mai looked forward to every summer now.

When autumn came, Mai and Zuko often snuck out of the palace, into the cool night air and just walked around their city. They wore cloaks with the hoods pulled up and felt like they were on an adventure. The occasional person would walk past and nod, just as he would at the butcher or the street sweeper. Mai always giggled and Zuko always joined in with a raspy chuckle. It was exhilarating to be unknown and unrecognized. It was interesting to see people as they really were, not as they behaved around royalty. And it was especially good to have a partner, someone to wander the dark with. Mai didn't have to remember Zuko anymore. He was with her, beside her, as eager to explore the autumn nights as she was.

Those especially dreary winter days, when the rain was relentless and drove against the windows like rough waves against the shore, were perfect for staying in bed. Mai would take one look outside and huddle back under the covers, grabbing hold of Zuko and pulling him close. His heat transferred itself to her, taking away some of the gloom. He would moan about obligations and work and then make a feeble attempt to get up. Mai would yank him back down and silence him with a passionate kiss that spoke of so much more. The morning vanished in a haze of kissing and touching and the afternoon took its place. They slept then, the sound of the rain a pounding lullaby. There was much to love about winter.


	72. Chapter 72

**Maiko 100: Prompt #70: Storm**

_**Storm Watching**_

Zuko _felt_ the storm approaching. Two years at sea had made him attuned to subtle changes in the air and the water and he always knew when one was coming. That was hardly unique. Anyone who spent any amount of time in a ship could do the same.

He liked storms, the bigger and fiercer the better. The huge wall of black and grey clouds that seemed to touch the churning grey of the waves reflected his inner turmoil. The storm was his soul made manifest. The fifteen year old banished prince of the Fire Nation leaned against the ship's rail and stared off into the horizon. He could hear his Uncle Iroh calling for him, warning him about waves that could sweep him overboard and lightning strikes that could kill. But the sound was faint and grew fainter still as the storm's intensity increased.

He recalled other storms, ones that had occurred when he was younger and still lived at home in the palace. He had watched _those_ with equal interest, not because they were a mirror reflection of himself, but because someone he was just beginning to care about loved them too.

Zuko smiled a sort of bitter, lonely smile and the action, something his face was unaccustomed to, almost hurt. Gripping tightly onto the rail, he thought back two and a half years to an autumn day when Mai was visiting the palace…..

"_What are you two doing out here? It's going to rain, you know. Are you stupid or something?" Princess Azula's tiny hands were on her tiny hips and she looked over at her friend Mai and her brother Zuko as if they hadn't a modicum of common sense. _

_The pair sat by the turtleduck pond, shoulder's barely touching, and fed the creatures happily, Zuko ripping off chunks of bread and handing them over to Mai. They ignored Azula and doing that was more dangerous than any storm that might be on the way._

"_I'm talking to you." The princess was incensed. No one ignored her without paying a price._

"_Go away, Azula. Mai and I are having fun." That was Zuko's second mistake._

"_Hmmph," the princess huffed. "I'll show you fun."_

_With amazing skill for someone barely eleven years old, Azula called upon her inner fire, created a beautiful tear shaped flame in her hand, and promptly tossed it in Mai's general direction. She didn't stop at one fireball, though. She made more and more, peppering the grass surrounding the young couple, letting some of them fall into the pond, terrifying the small birds._

_Zuko jumped up quickly and pulled Mai along with him. In a rare moment of spontaneity, he whispered in her ear, "Let's run." Hand in hand, they tore across the garden, getting further and further away from Azula and her cruel fire. They began to laugh, and the raindrops began to fall._

"_Idiots!" the princess called after them, her face scrunched up and angry looking._

_But Mai and Zuko couldn't hear her now. All each of them heard was the steady thump thump inside their own chests, and the low, ominous rumble of thunder._

"_In here," Zuko cried and tugged Mai into a cozy stone alcove that was built into the garden's wall._

_It was tight fit, and their bodies were pressed closely together. Both Mai and Zuko flushed but neither of them really minded. In fact, both of them rather enjoyed the sensation of hip pressed into hip and thigh pressed into thigh. Zuko still held Mai's hand. When she twisted her head and looked over at Zuko, his face turned a deep red._

"_Um, do you want your hand back?"_

"_No, it's nice, you holding it." She snuck a sideways glance at him next, admiring his handsome features._

"_Sorry about Azula. Well, you know what she's like. She's your friend." _

_Mai paused before answering. The thunder had gone from rumbles to ear splitting bangs and the lightning flashed brightly all around them. It was beautiful and both the prince and the daughter of nobles watched the spectacle with bright, wide eyes._

"_And you wonder why I keep coming back, don't you?" Mai fit the sentence in between two loud booms._

"_Yeah, I guess. It's not like she's nice to you or anything."_

_The black haired girl felt bold all of a sudden. Maybe it was the storm. Maybe it was the fact that she was pressed oh so close to the boy that she thought she might love. "No, she really isn't, but you are." She felt the heat rise up from wherever these embarrassing things came from and colour her face pink again._

_Mai grew bolder still and brushed her lips against Zuko's cheek. Her daring must have infected the prince. He bent his head and pressed his warm lips to hers for the briefest of moments._

"_Mai," he uttered softly._

"Mai," Zuko whispered as the storm crashed all around him.

He was soaked and his body trembled from the cold. But he couldn't feel anything except the heat of Mai's lips and the pressure of her body against his.


	73. Chapter 73

A/N: To the person who asked, I will probably get around to doing Zuko's version of the seasons eventually.

**Maiko 100: Prompt #71: Home**

_**Mai Makes a Difference**_

Zuko and Mai wandered around the Fire Nation palace hand in hand, Mai leaning her head against her boyfriend's shoulder. It was the day after the new Fire Lord's coronation, early morning in fact, and that sense of excitement and anticipation still hung thick in the air, almost tangible. Mai was tired, but unable to sleep. Zuko was in the same situation and so they had decided on a little stroll.

The celebrations had gone on well into the night. In fact, they could both still hear revelers somewhere within the confines of the ornate building. She and Zuko had celebrated with friends, Mai awkwardly making small talk with people she didn't know, grateful for Ty Lee's buffering presence, Aang's kindness and Toph's humor that bordered on the gross. Small talk with strangers would be a large part of her future if she married Zuko and she had every intention of doing that. So, it was best if she got used to it.

Their own private celebration had followed afterwards. Mai enjoyed that one much more and she knew that Zuko did too. Though the desire to be physically intimate was certainly there, somehow it hadn't happened. Rather, they had cuddled together on Zuko's bed, the one in his old room, each enjoying the presence of the other after yet another separation. There were caresses and kisses, searching looks and Mai had stared in horror at the mark left by Azula. So close, so close to losing him once again, forever this time. She vowed to keep Zuko safe no matter what it took.

"It's strange," Zuko muttered more to himself than to Mai.

"Mmm, what's strange?" she yawned, lifting her head to look at Zuko then promptly dropping it back down onto his shoulder.

"This place, the palace, my home; most of the time I felt as if I didn't belong here."

"And how do you feel now?" Mai asked.

"I still feel like I don't belong. Ever since the day my mother left, it was, it was different here, for me anyway."

"I remember." Mai stroked Zuko's chest with her free hand.

Zuko stopped in front of one of the many windows that lined the hallway they walked down. He looked outside at the newly risen sun, let the heat from its rays warm his face and then turned to look at Mai. "With you here, though, I think that it can be different again, a good kind of different."

"Are you saying that you want me to stay?" Mai's tone was playful. She reached up and cupped Zuko's cheek.

The Fire Lord smiled brightly. "Yes, I'd like you to stay. I think that together we can make this palace home." He looked at Mai with wide eyes then, as if suddenly realizing the implications of what he had said. "I mean, if you want to stay, if you will, then that would be….

"I'd like that." Mai's lips twitched upward and she placed a finger over Zuko's lips, stopping the nervous flow of words.

Shifting to face the window herself, she met the sun's rays with a pleased smile all her own.


	74. Chapter 74

A/N: This is just a silly, tongue in cheek take on forgiveness rather than something all dramatic and intense for once. xD

**Maiko 100: Prompt #72: Forgiveness**

_**Games**_

As far as husbands went, Zuko was pretty good. He was more than pretty good, actually; he was great. But that didn't mean he never made mistakes. Sometimes his mouth opened and words spilled out before he thought about exactly _what _those words meant or how they would be received. Usually, he knew relatively quickly that he had messed up. His good eye would open wide and he would slap a hand dramatically to his forehead, then beg for her forgiveness, trying vainly to explain his misstep.

Then there were times when he went on and on, digging a deeper and deeper hole until the look on Mai's face finally halted the movement of his tongue. Zuko would look almost terrified then. An angry Mai was a frightening Mai after all, not a person that anyone would want to meet. She could see the wheels spinning in his head as he tried desperately to think of words or deeds that would appease her.

By then, she had forgiven him already but Zuko didn't know that. Watching him squirm and writhe and speak with that adorable flustered stutter was simply too enjoyable. She would put him out of his misery soon enough. For a time, though, until it was no longer amusing, Mai would sit back and watch the show.


	75. Chapter 75

**Maiko 100: Prompt #73: Blame**

_**Bitter Lesson**_

Zuko cared too much, felt too much, worried too much. It was his fault that he'd been banished. If only he had kept his mouth shut during that war meeting, he would still be here with her. Everything would be fine. Everything would be as it should be and she wouldn't be so terribly alone.

It was easy to blame him, foolish and stupid but easy nonetheless. Prince Zuko should have known that compassion and concern were not qualities the Fire Lord appreciated. He _should _have known; his father had demonstrated a cool, cruel detachment for all of Zuko's life. Mai had seen it herself as she hid behind pillars or ducked down hallways, watching Zuko's days unfold when she should have been home in her room, perfecting her calligraphy or her makeup techniques.

Now, as she avoided people whenever she could, staying curled up on her bed and pretending to read some dull tome or other, Mai cursed Zuko's very being and called him every horrible name in her colourful vocabulary. She would say them out loud, testing them on her tongue, letting them roll off slowly; Idiot! Dimwit! Fool! Simpleton! Bastard! Her anger was deep and dark and lasted for days.

Spitting out the vitriol made her feel better but only temporarily. Eventually, the anger waned and sorrow took its place. She knew the banishment wasn't really his fault. She knew that Zuko hadn't spoken up just so that he could abandon her. He was too good for the court, too good for their nation. He didn't belong and he didn't fit in, at least not now, with the Fire Nation a cold sort of heartless place.

Zuko was different, special. How could she blame him for that?


	76. Chapter 76

**Maiko 100: Prompts #74 and #75: Light and Dark**

_**Dreams and Musings**_

At night she dreamed of light and dark. Mai tossed about in the passably comfortable cot that she slept in as she and Ty Lee and Azula traversed the Earth Kingdom countryside looking for the Avatar along with Prince Zuko and his Uncle Iroh. Each dream was the same and Mai was growing bored of it _and_ its obvious sort or symbolism. Yes, she was conflicted. Yes, somehow, somewhere she associated the princess with darkness and Zuko with light. Did her dreams really need to bring the point home over and over again?

Agni, it had been three years since she had seen him. Mai couldn't possibly know what he was like now. But still, she was almost certain that the Zuko she had known would still be a huge part of the Zuko she might meet again. He would be changed, of course. Three years of banishment, isolation and loneliness had to have some affect. But his goodness, his kindness, his nobility had to still be there, underneath layers of anger and sorrow, perhaps, but still there.

Azula, she never changed, no matter what, just grew more cunning, more manipulative and crueler. Mai wondered why she had agreed to accompany the princess on this quest. Boredom was a part of it; almost anything was better than sitting around that dull house in that even duller city of Omashu with its wacky king and its downtrodden citizens. She longed for freedom and adventure too, an escape from the chains she'd worn since birth, but as of yet, all she had gotten was more boredom and more rules to follow.

The possibility of setting eyes on Zuko again, of leaving the dark behind and entering the light once more was what kept her going. Azula and Ty Lee didn't know how she felt. Mai covered it up very well, just like she always did, just as she always had. But whenever his name was mentioned, whenever she saw one of those stupid wanted posters, her heart, her _soul _even seemed to grow lighter. The heavy darkness that she had lived in for three years was threatening to break apart. There was hope.

"We'd both better live long enough to actually grasp it," Mai muttered under her breath as she climbed gracefully from her cot and proceeded to dress.

"What did you say, Mai?" Azula's voice was sharp and deadly. The princess was always alert, always looking for something to use or hold over you.

""I'm hungry," Mai replied dully. "That's what I said."

Azula's eyes were cold as she regarded the older, taller girl. She kept a close watch on Mai for the remainder of the day.


	77. Chapter 77

A/N: I love younger Mai and Zuko and couldn't resist writing this drabble for 'innocence'.

**Maiko 100: Prompt#76: Innocence**

_**Threads that Join**_

Ty Lee performed perfect back flips while an envious Azula looked on. Mai ignored them both, preferring to examine one ragged fingernail that she knew would drive her mother crazy. The trio of little girls was in the palace gardens. It was their usual gathering place, at least in good weather and this particular day was warm and bright, hardly a cloud marring the blue of the sky.

Mai looked up just in time to see the princess give Ty Lee a shove. The very acrobatic girl was in the middle of one of her flips. "That one wasn't perfect was it?" Azula cackled nastily. "Now watch me!"

"Azuuula, that hurt," the grey eyed girl whined.

The princess did an adequate flip then adjusted her perky ponytail. "Don't be such a baby, Ty Lee. You're starting to sound like my brother."

Black haired Mai grew more alert at the sound of the prince's name. He was Azula's older brother, older by two years, though sometimes it was difficult to tell. Zuko, at twelve now, his mother already gone for two years, still had a certain innocence that Mai was certain Azula _never _had. Mai found it refreshing and sweet and was drawn to it _and_ the boy.

"Oh, look, Ty Lee, Mai's awake now. As soon as I mention Zuko she comes to life. How pathetic!" Azula tossed her head dramatically and then a sly smile made her lips twitch.

"I think it's sweet," Ty Lee defended Mai.

"You would; idiot. Mai, Ty Lee and I are going inside for a few minutes. We'll meet you back out here."

The princess dragged the acrobat by the arm. Ty Lee looked over at Mai with confused eyes. Mai simply shrugged and went back to contemplating her fingernails. She adjusted her position beneath the apple tree a bit, straightening out her tunic and pants. Her bottom was getting a bit sore. She'd been sitting there quite awhile already. It was her usual spot; in the shade and out of the way. But she could see everything that went on from her position, who was coming and who was going.

The sound of footsteps, soft and hesitant, on the covered walkway that led to garden made her blush. She knew it was Zuko without even taking a peek. He came closer and closer until he stood right in front of her, partially shaded by the tree. Mai couldn't take her eyes off his shoes, couldn't make herself look into his handsome face.

"Mai? Azula said that you wanted me. She said that you have something important to tell me."

She looked up at that. Zuko was an interesting shade of pink himself and he shifted anxiously from one foot to the other. His hands were linked behind his back and his gorgeous gold eyes were expectant looking. Mai wanted to dive into those eyes and never come back out. The thought was romantic and silly, but the pretty girl couldn't help herself.

'That bitch,' Mai mouthed, cursing Azula for putting her in such an awkward position. She couldn't say the word aloud. Her mother's lessons about inappropriate language still rang loudly in her ears. But it was safe enough to think it. Now, what in the world was she supposed to say to the prince?

Mai cleared her throat and spoke bluntly. "Azula lied. But, I'm glad that you're here anyway." Her hands were sweating now and she wiped them off on her pant legs, trying her best to be discreet. Her nail caught in the fabric and pulled a thread. She gave it a vicious little tug and made a tiny hole. "Great, Mother will be thrilled."

"What's the matter?" Zuko knelt beside her and stared down at her leg.

"Nothing; I just ruined my pants. My mother will have a fit." Zuko's close proximity was having a dizzying affect on Mai.

"One of the servants can fix it for you. They all know how to sew. Come inside with me."

He stood up and held his hand out for Mai to take. Giving it one more careful wipe, she put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.

"Um, thanks and sorry about Azula; she's always doing stuff like that."

"It's okay. I always fall for her tricks. You would think I'd know better by now." He sighed then, sort of sadly, and looked melancholy for a moment. "I'm glad, though. I'm glad I came outside." Zuko was smiling now, a brilliant smile, full of sweetness and warmth.

"I'm glad that you came too," Mai agreed.

They walked hand in hand into the palace, by an angry looking Azula and a dreamy eyed Ty Lee. Zuko gave her hand a squeeze and she returned it. Occasionally, Azula's pranks weren't so bad after all.


	78. Chapter 78

**Maiko 100: Prompt #77: Children**

_**Give it Time**_

"They change your life completely. After Suki had our second, I didn't think I would ever get a chance to be alone with her again. If one isn't crying, the other one is. If one isn't _sick_, the other one is." Sokka rocked his almost sleeping ten month old and watched as his three year old daughter ran in dizzying circles around the palace courtyard.

"Oh, uh, that sounds…." Zuko's face was a mask of terror and apprehension. He liked his life with Mai. No, he loved his life with Mai. He loved being able to sleep in with her or do something spontaneously without the worry of other little responsibilities.

"Hey, don't worry, buddy. There's lots of good stuff too. You'll find out. Children are far more good than bad." The Water Tribesman clapped Zuko heartily on the back with his free hand and gave him his biggest grin.

"You don't sound very convincing." Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and watched as Sokka's daughter took a tumble. Loud screams were followed by a copious amount of tears.

"Here, take him." Sokk handed off his baby and tended to his little girl.

Zuko looked down at the now sleeping child. He looked peaceful, cute even and the Fire Lord felt a glimmer of protectiveness toward the tiny life.

"Is she okay?" he asked with concern when his friend came back. "How do you know what to do?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine; just a little scrape on the knee. They always make it sound much worse than it is." Sokka stroked his chin then, a chin which had a small, well kept beard, and thought about Zuko's second question. "I guess a lot of parenting is common sense. And I usually try to remember how _my _father handled certain things." He felt Zuko's piercing glare and then felt bad. "Oh, uh, yeah, I guess that wouldn't really work for you, would it? Think about how _Iroh_ would handle whatever issue comes up."

A flood of Iroh's favorite sayings and bits of wisdom automatically marched their way through Zuko's mind like obedient little soldiers. "I suppose that I could do that."

Zuko tried to hand off the baby but Sokka just smirked. "He's comfortable with you now. Just keep holding him."

The Fire Lord huffed a bit and that panicked look took hold of his handsome face again. His arms were getting sore too. The kid was heavier than he looked. When he gurgled in his sleep and kicked out with two chubby legs, Zuko almost dropped him.

"Take it easy, Zuko. Look, you've got what, five months before Mai has the baby, right?" Zuko nodded. "Alright, that's plenty of time to get used to the idea. Don't you know any babies around here that you can practice with?"

Zuko thought for a moment. "One of the servants and her husband had a baby about three months ago. What am I supposed to say? Give me your baby; I want to practice on yours so I don't screw up on mine. That will go over _really_ well."

"Yeah, I see your point. Well, the best advice I can give you then is to trust yourself, trust your instincts and do the best you can."

"What if my instincts are all wrong? What do I do then?" Gold eyes were wide and Zuko's hands clutched at the tiny blue tunic that Sokka's son wore.

"It will be fine; here, I'll take him now. Zuko, you and Mai are good people. Everything will work out. I promise you."

Zuko nodded gratefully and handed over the boy. The little girl, tired of running, returned to Sokka, and wrapped her arms around his legs. "Daddy, what we do now? Where's Mommy?"

"She's busy talking with Auntie Mai. How about we go find them?"

"Yay!" the little girl shrieked with delight.

Zuko grimaced and covered his ears.

* * *

Suki looked exhausted. "Liang was up half the night. He just wouldn't go to sleep. I hate when that happens."

Mai gave the Kyoshi Warrior a small smile. "Does that happen a lot?" She put her hands to her stomach and wondered about the child she carried.

"Only two or three times a week. Xue used to do that too, but she's grown out of it. So are you excited, Mai? In five months you and Zuko are going to be parents."

"Yeah, I suppose. " Mai's tone definitely did _not_ say excitement.

"Come one, you're not more thrilled than that? You're going to have a little baby boy or girl. Your life will never be the same."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of. Our life is great right now. I don't know how a child will change all that. What if the baby comes between us? What if I never get to spend time alone with Zuko again? And what if I don't know how to be a good mother? _My_ example wasn't exactly the best." Mai hated the way that she sounded, like some whining, ungrateful brat who didn't deserve to have the gift of a child.

Suki moved closer to Mai and put an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, it will all work out. I'm sure that you and Zuko will make really wonderful parents. Who cares about your mother and Zuko's father? You are _not _them. And if you ever need help or advice, just write. And you're always welcome on Kyoshi."

"Thank you, Suki." Mai felt marginally better, but until the child was born and safe in her arms, until she had taken care of it and not made any horrible mistakes, she wouldn't feel any sort of confidence.

"Just wait," the warrior said knowingly. "Just wait."

Zuko entered the sitting room then, with Sokka and the two children. Mai peered into her husband's eyes and saw _her_ fear residing there as well. She_ knew_ what his conversation with Sokka had centered around.

"So, what did you guys talk about?" Suki asked cheerfully.

* * *

It was like both Suki and Sokka had said. Five months later when Mai gave birth to a little boy they named Takumi, everything shifted and everything fell into place. Nothing was perfect and there were plenty of panicked moments and excessive worrying, but they loved their son with a love that was powerful and pure. He didn't come between them. Takumi brought them closer together.

"He's really beautiful, isn't he?" Zuko asked one night, a few months after the boy made his way into the world. "He looks like you."

The infant lay on the bed between them, wriggling and cooing happily. Mai reached across to cup Zuko's cheek. She smiled tenderly and nodded her head. "Yeah, he _really _is."

* * *

A/N: There's some good old fashioned sap for those, like me, who need a break from the sadness of a certain other story. I love nervous/scared Zuko and Mai first time parents to be. I imagine that they would think very much like above.


	79. Chapter 79

A/N: Inspired by an idea by Decepticon Fan.

**Alabaster's Maiko 100: Prompt #78: Gift**

_**Clandestine **_

Mai looked around the palace gardens furtively. Zuko was nowhere to be seen and that made the twelve year old feel surprisingly sad. She hadn't realized just how much she looked forward to even getting a glimpse of him; shy glance, dark brown hair pulled into a casual ponytail and gold eyes that were so warm, Mai would swear that she almost melted every time she looked into them. That possibility was really the only reason she came to the palace….well besides Azula's orders and her mother's urging. Okay, the chance of seeing the prince was the only _enjoyable_ reason she had for going to the palace. There, that made more sense.

"Oh, for Agni's sake, Mai, can't you be more discreet?" Azula shook her head and looked at Mai as though she were a silly little child. "You won't see Zuko today. He's sick in bed."

_Was I really that obvious?_ _I thought I was being subtle._

"Whatever, I don't really care, Azula."

_Liar_

"Right, _you _don't care, and _Zuko's_ smart." The princess laughed mockingly. At least _she_ found the insult humorous.

Mai looked down at the grass for a moment. She needed the time to push her anger back down where it was safe. "Azula, why did you ask me over here?" Her voice was beyond bored and put upon.

"I need someone to shoot fire at. My father gets upset if I do it in Zuko's bedroom…something about the expensive drapes and the bedding catching fire. He never mentioned Zuko, though." She laughed again, and Mai wanted to wring her little neck or let a steady stream of her knives go, each one of them piercing the princess's flesh.

"Wow, I'm honoured," she drawled. "Wouldn't one of the servants do?"

"They're busy doing whatever it is they do. And Ty Lee's away with her family. So it's just you and me."

_Why am I always so lucky?_

"Fine, do what you need to do."

The remainder of the morning was spent dodging Azula's attacks. It was a good thing that she was fast, nimble and graceful. She managed to evade everything and tossed a few blades just to keep things interesting.

"You may go home, Mai. I'm done with you."

Azula waved a dismissive hand at her and left, disappearing into the dark depths of the palace.

_What do I do now? Zuko's not feeling well. I wonder how bad it is. It's not like his father or Azula actually care. Maybe I can sneak into his bedroom. Yeah, that's a good idea._

Her heart beat a little harder and faster than normal as she carefully selected quiet corridor after quiet corridor and made her way to Zuko's bedchamber. It wasn't proper for a girl to be there. Her mother would probably drop dead if she found out.

_There's an idea. That's not nice, Mai._

The black haired girl knocked on the door and then looked down the hallway as if expecting a bunch of guards to rush at her. No one came but no one answered either. She knocked a bit harder. Still there was no reply.

_He must be asleep._

Daringly, Mai pulled down on the door handle, opened the door a crack and peeked inside. Zuko lay on the huge bed, looking like a tiny boy rather than the strong thirteen year old young man he really was. The bed seemed to almost swallow him up. His eyes were closed but he was restless as if from a fever. And he was so alone. There was no mother to tend to him and his father simply didn't care. Zuko's Uncle Iroh was gone for a few weeks on some kind of retreat. Mai was the only one who could be bothered, the only one who worried.

She approached the bed and looked down at the prince. Mai wanted to touch so badly. She turned her hands into tight little fists to restrain herself. The bed was so wide. Surely Zuko wouldn't notice if she sat down for a moment. With a nervous glance around the room, she perched on the edge of silk sheets and a soft mattress and just stared.

His hair was damp with sweat and little bits of it stuck to his neck and forehead. His cheeks were flushed and he only wore sleep pants. Mai watched the gentle rise and fall of his bare chest and listened to his mutterings. She was almost certain that Zuko said her name.

As if sensing her intense scrutiny, the prince opened those beautiful eyes and looked directly into Mai's.

"Mai, hi; wha, what are you doing here?"

Mai flushed a deep red and clutched at her robes. After a few moments she met his gaze.

"I heard that you were sick and thought you might like some company. I guess I shouldn't have come. I can go if you like."

A hand, quick as a darting snake' s tongue, reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist. "Stay, please. I like that you came to see me. It's a nice surprise, kind of like a gift."

"Really? I'm glad."

Mai found that her hand fit quite nicely with his.


	80. Chapter 80

A/N: Please forgive the brevity.

**Maiko 100: Prompt #79: Colours**

_**Coloured Reflections**_

Mai saw Zuko as red, the colour of their nation. It seemed a moot point, sort of inevitable, but it wasn't really. Not every Fire Nation native had the same drive and passion that their lord did. Surely not every man demonstrated the same frenzy and heat during lovemaking that Zuko did.

He could be yellow too, like the sun that drove him to wake every morning, like the sun that felt warm and comforting on one's upturned face. The yellow was his tenderness and compassion, that desire to do good, the desire to please those whom he cared about most.

Zuko saw Mai as silver like the blade of a knife, beautiful and shiny, reflecting the light. Her feelings might be dull and tarnished, but with a bit of polish, they shone as strongly and ferociously as anyone's. Her beauty sparkled like stars in the night sky, not as showy and obvious as gold, but understated and elegant.

How appropriate that she be covered in blades. How appropriate that her weapon of choice was such an accurate reflection of herself, sharp and graceful and cool.

* * *

_**Green isn't so bad after all!**_

It was strange wearing green, trading in her burgundy and red for the colour of springtime and new life. But she adjusted quickly enough, especially after Zuko commented on how pretty she looked. It wasn't his words so much, which were sort of stumbling and ungraceful and shy, but the expression on his face, the light in his eyes when he looked at her and the way his hands reached out for her. Mai could grow to love green.


	81. Chapter 81

**Maiko 100: Prompt #80: Weapon**

_**Surprise**_

"Where are you going?" If you didn't know Mai as well as Zuko did, her voice would have sounded like it usually did, raspy and slightly bored. But _he_ knew that she was irritated. It was difficult to put his finger on exactly how her voice changed, but when he gave it some thought, he realized that it became slightly deeper and a little bit scary But it was sexy too and that more than made up for the fear it inspired.

"I've got an appointment in the city. I'll be back in about an hour." He wasn't lying. Zuko did have an appointment. But he didn't want Mai to know who with or what for. He prayed that she would simply let it go. She didn't.

"You've had quite a few appointments in the city lately. Who is it that you're seeing and why?"

"Oh, um, just a guy about a thing. It's dull stuff, really. I know how you hate 'dull'." Zuko's cheeks were pink and he was fidgeting more than a three year old forced to stay inside on a beautiful, sunny day.

Mai gave an undignified snort then clapped a pale hand over her mouth. When the laughter had died away, she spoke. "You _can't_ lie. When are you going to figure that out, Zuko? Who are you _really_ going to see?"

"I can't say." The Fire Lord's voice was calmer now and very dignified. "It's important business that I can't share with you."

Mai straightened up to her full height, threw her shoulders back and looked straight into Zuko's anxious eyes. "I thought that we shared everything. That's what our marriage is all about."

_She pulled the marriage card. What am I supposed to do now?_

Zuko looked down at the floor, trying to gather his thoughts into some kind of cohesive whole that made sense. "If I could tell you, I would. You know that, Mai. And believe me when I say that eventually you _will _know. You trust me, don't you?"

_He pulled the trust card. Damn him!_

"I trust you with my life. You know that. I'm simply curious."

_More like dying to know._

"You'll have to wait a few days. It will be worth it, I promise you." Zuko gave his wife a passionate kiss, one he hoped would take her mind off his meeting and keep it on what they might do later instead.

* * *

"I hope that these meet your expectations, my lord. I followed every one of your instructions."

The weapons smith moved aside and with a dramatic flourish brought the Fire Lord's attention to the set of knives he had been working on for weeks. Zuko had gone to him more than a month earlier with very specific ideas about what he wanted for Mai's twenty first birthday gift. The Fire Lord had even made detailed drawings, using his time in the office that was supposed to be spent on paperwork. Every time Mai had dropped by for a visit, he was certain that she had suspected something. The sudden shuffling of papers and his reddened cheeks were surely reason enough.

"Let me have a look." Zuko approached the table, stared down and sucked in his breath. The blades were exquisite, more beautiful than any set of weapons or any individual weapon that he had ever seen. And Mai deserved nothing less. "They are perfect," Zuko whispered. He picked one up and felt its weight in his hand. It was light, lighter than Mai's other blades, but strong and so wonderfully crafted. "I'm very pleased."

The older man wiped his damp hands off on his apron and grinned with relief. "I'm so glad, my lord. And I hope that Lady Mai will enjoy them."

"Oh, she will," Zuko assured the man. All kinds of scenarios ran through the Fire Lord's brain, some a little cleaner than others. "I'll take these with me now. I have your payment here." Zuko handed the man a little pouch full of Fire Nation coins. "Thank you for your good service."

"It was an honour." The weapons smith bowed respectfully. "I hope to be of service again in the future."

Zuko bid the man farewell and headed back to the palace. Dressed as an ordinary citizen he darted quickly through the crowded city streets and was home within a quarter of an hour. Before meeting Mai for dinner, he stopped by his office and hid the velvet lined case on the book shelf, behind a bunch of dull tomes. He hummed happily as he made his way to the dining room.

* * *

"You're in a good mood. I suppose that your _meeting_ went well?" Mai took a bite of the roast duck and then put down her chopsticks. She examined Zuko's face closely, looking for anything suspicious.

The Fire Lord met her scrutiny and managed not to break down into a blubbering mess. Five years of experience had at least been worth _something_. "I am and it did." He took his own bite of duck, savoring the wonderful spices and the tenderness of the meat.

Mai tried to quell her curiosity. She hated that these meetings of Zuko's piqued her interest so much. She had her ideas, of course, some pretty good ones, in fact. And Zuko was not the devious type. In all likelihood, he was planning some sort of surprise for her upcoming birthday. She should just leave it alone, not spoil things.

"That's good," she declared sweetly.

Now Zuko was suspicious. Why the sudden reticence? He narrowed his good eye and examined his wife.

_Maybe she's figured it out. I should just give the knives to her. Her birthday is the day after tomorrow. What's the big deal? We're not little kids._

"Um, Mai, do you really want to know where I was? I can tell you."

The Fire Lady hid a smirk behind her teacup. She took a few sips, taking time to get her wayward mouth under control. "Well, if you're okay with that."

"Yes, hang on a few minutes." Zuko leapt up from his seat and dashed out of the room, down a series of corridors and to his office. He grabbed the case and then ran all the way back to Mai. Servants raised their eyebrows slightly but they were not strangers to odd behavior from the royal couple. "Here! I had these made especially for your twenty first birthday. I designed them myself. I hope that you like them." Zuko presented the case to Mai. His smile was unsure. Despite five years together and despite five years as a world leader, one who gained new respect every day, he still lacked confidence in himself sometimes.

Mai took the case and opened it. She breathed in deeply, uttered a breathy little 'Oh!" and then bit her bottom lip. She could feel tears in her eyes and blinked them back.

"So do you like them?" Zuko's voice was eager.

"Idiot, I love them." Mai took a blade out and held it in her hand, turning it about so that the candlelight was reflected in the polished metal. Each handle was tinted red and bore the image of a dragon. "They're beautiful."

The Fire Lord beamed with joy. "I'm so glad, Mai. I wasn't sure…."

Mai's kiss stopped his words, forced them back down his throat. Zuko didn't care. _Nothing_ was better than kissing his wife, kissing her and making her happy.


	82. Chapter 82

**Maiko 100: Prompt #81: Ashes**

_**Innate**_

Ashes were a consequence of fire, an inevitability, the remains of something that had burned until it could burn no longer. People of the Fire Nation burned their dead. It was a ritual of purification and it returned the person to his original state. Legend said that the people of the Fire Nation were created from ash by the great god Agni. There was no greater dishonor, no greater terror for a Fire Nation citizen, than burial.

Zuko, in a weak moment, a moment of great anger and hurt, considered burial for his sister, Azula. It was ten years after the end of the war. Azula was twenty five years old, perfectly in control, cruel, manipulative and a constant threat. The asylum and all the treatment available, visits from Zuko, Ty Lee and eventually a reluctant Mai, had done nothing to change the woman.

Her raging and crying had stopped after those first few weeks in confinement, replaced by the cool intelligence and sharp tongue anyone who had ever encountered her knew so well. Azula had never looked back, never relapsed and never stopped trying to find a way out. Freedom was her goal now rather than power and conquest.

When she finally _did_ escape, killing guards and healers alike, Zuko organized a manhunt. He would be part of it. Mai worried that he wouldn't catch her and worried about what he might do if he did. The Fire Lord was a compassionate man, a caring man, a man who wanted to do right but without compromising his nation or his people. He was a loving husband, father and nephew and an invaluable friend. But when it came to Azula, when he thought about her or spoke about her, something in Zuko changed. He grew harder.

"I'm not happy, Zuko. I think that you should stay home." Mai put her hand on Zuko's arm, a light touch, but one that said so much.

Zuko's eyes were molten and his fists were clenched at his sides. "She's my_ sister_, mine! She is _my _responsibility. Those deaths, all that blood, it stains my hands, Mai. Can't you understand that?"

"I do understand," Mai replied calmly. "I worry that you'll do something you might regret later. You talk big, Zuko, and I know that you're powerful and strong. But you are not a killer. And you do not want to hurt Azula, no matter how angry you may be."

"You're wrong! I _do _want to hurt her. I want her to feel some of that pain she's so fond of giving to everyone else. She deserves it, Mai. Doesn't she?"

"I can't say, Zuko. I really don't know what's right when it comes to your sister. She's done terrible things, unforgivable things, but I don't want you to become her. I couldn't deal with that, Zuko, and neither could you."

The Fire Lady watched with sad eyes as her husband departed. She spent the next few days in a state of nervousness and fear, pacing the halls and gardens like a wild animal in a zoo. She trusted Zuko and believed in his decency, but sometimes in certain situations, decent people did indecent things. When word came back that Azula was dead, not by Zuko's hand, or anyone else's, but by random accident, she was relieved.

* * *

He looked defeated, eyes bloodshot and shoulders slumped when he finally walked through the palace gates surrounded by guards. One searing look from Mai and they all vanished. Zuko didn't even notice, but when Mai wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her head into the crook of his neck, he began to cry.

"I wasn't going to bring her home, Mai. I was going to put her in the ground right where she fell. She didn't suffer enough, didn't pay with enough pain. But, I, I couldn't. She's my sister and she looked so small lying there in the dirt. We'll burn her tomorrow, turn her into ashes. It's right, isn't it?"

Zuko looked at her with sad, imploring eyes. Mai nodded. "Yes, it's right." She tightened the grip on her husband and let her own tears fall, tears of joy for Zuko's goodness and tears of sorrow for a girl so lost.

* * *

A/N: Maybe it seems as if this drabble is as much about Azula as it is about Maiko. And i guess it is. ;-) But I wanted to show how well Mai knows Zuko and how he listens to her wisdom in the end.


	83. Chapter 83

**Maiko 100: Prompt #82: War**

_**Gap**_

Both Mai and Zuko had seen its affects first hand. The prince had three years of world travel and months as a refugee. He knew what the war had done to people. He had shared meals with those affected, traveled on the ferry to Ba Sing Se with hundreds of displaced people who were looking for a place they could keep their families safe and together. He had looked into eyes and seen pain.

Mai had only caught glimpses on her travels with Azula and during her brief stay in Omashu. There was no personal connection. She hadn't talked with random Earth Kingdom citizens. She hadn't met any refugees. And if Mai was honest with herself, she would admit that she didn't care about the war. It was a conflict that had been going on for what seemed like forever. She learned about it in school, or at least the Fire Nation version of events, and it provided her father with a job. Other than that, it simply _was_.

But when Zuko came back with her to the Fire Nation, after Azula's conquest of Ba Sing Se, the war became a constant presence in her life. At last, they were together again. She saw Zuko every day. She could touch him, kiss him, hold his hand and run a finger along the edge of his scar. They were together and at times they were happy. But the war wouldn't let them get as close as she would like.

The gap between her experiences and Zuko's was too wide. It put a wall up, stone by stone, until the day of the invasion, the day that Zuko left her again. She didn't understand why he had fled, not completely anyway. But she _hated_ the war now. Part of her wanted to sneak into Ozai's chambers and cut his throat, then into Azula's to cut hers. Zuko could come home then, free to take the throne, and end the cursed conflict that had finally hit home. *

*random rhyme anyone?


	84. Chapter 84

**Maiko 100: Prompt #83: Peace**

_**Taking Care of Zuko**_

"You'd think that after the war ended, _we'd_ be able to find some peace, somewhere, sometimes," Zuko groaned. "The council members, the ministers, everyone, they never leave me alone."

He yanked out his diadem, considered throwing it angrily across the room and then decided to place it on his bedside table instead. He dragged trembling fingers through his hair and looked at Mai imploringly.

"Everyone _did _say that things would be hectic for the first year at least. You had to expect this." Mai rubbed his tense shoulders and then ordered him into the bath. "You'll feel better." She gave him a shove in the right direction and then muttered under her breath. "And I won't have to deal with your whining."

As soon as Zuko stripped and stepped into the luxurious tub filled with hot water, there was an insistent knock on the door to their suite of rooms. Mai frowned and marched quickly across red carpeting. She opened the door a crack, just enough to see who was on the other side. A nervous looking servant shifted uncomfortably under Mai's scrutiny. "What is it?" she snapped.

"Letter, my lady, for the Fire Lord." Tentatively, the servant held out the scroll. It was obvious that he wanted to leave and only remained by sheer force of will.

"Why are you still here?" Mai looked at the young man irritably and then shut the door.

The servant heaved a sigh of relief and headed back to wherever he had come from.

"Who was at the door?" Zuko called from the steam filled bathroom.

"No one important; enjoy your bath."

Mai turned the scroll over and over in her hands. It was from one of the ministers and no doubt he was looking to set up an evening meeting with Zuko, a meeting to discuss what they could just as easily talk about tomorrow sometime. It happened all the time, almost every night, and Mai was sick of it. Zuko didn't sleep enough or eat enough and he hadn't yet learned to say 'no'. He had lost weight and his temper was short. Something needed to be done.

She marched back across the carpet and stepped out on to the balcony. There were no tanks making their way across the acres of garden. There were no explosions anywhere. Mai heard no shouts of anger or screams of terror. Everything was peaceful, as it should be. The letter could wait until morning. With a sly smile, Mai walked back inside and shoved it into her bedside table.

"How are you doing in here?" she asked, poking her head inside the bathroom. She couldn't see anything for the clouds of warm steam.

"If I don't get out soon, I'll fall asleep in here," the Fire Lord responded. He sounded far away, though the tub was only a few feet from the doorway.

Mai could sense the change in her fiancé. He was relaxed now and calm and there was a hint of humor in his voice. He might actually enjoy his dinner and sleep well for once. No, he _would._ Mai would make sure of it.

"I'm going to order dinner now and tea. You've got about an hour."

"Okay," Zuko replied softly. He dunked his head under the water, rinsing out his hair, and then leaned back against the padded edge of the tub. He let his eyes slide shut and within seconds he _was_ asleep.

Mai shook him awake half an hour later. He dried off and dressed in loose, comfortable pants along with a loose tunic. He smiled easily at Mai and kissed her on the lips.

"You were right; I feel really good right now."

Mai gave him that look, the one that said, "I know you and I know what's best for you." She returned his kiss then took him by the hand, leading him to the small table for two that they took many of their meals at. "Sit; dinner is almost ready."

Zuko didn't argue. He sat. When the servant brought dinner on a huge tray, Mai took it from her, used her slipper covered foot to close the door and then placed the tray on the table. Everything smelled delicious and Zuko's stomach rumbled loudly.

"You're going to finish this meal. There will be no jumping up to do something that you forgot to finish earlier. There will be no one disturbing our peace. Here." Mai put a bowl filled with noodles in front of Zuko and handed him his chopsticks.

He took them but not without caressing Mai's fingers first. "Thank you for taking care of me."

Mai smiled wryly. "Someone needs to, and besides, I kind of enjoy it."

* * *

A/N: Only 17 more to go. It's going to be strange not having these drabbles/stories to do anymore. It feels like I've been writing them forever. On the other hand, I'm looking forward to finishing if only so that I can say I actually completed all 100 prompts.


	85. Chapter 85

**Maiko 100: Prompt #84: Flower**

_**Something New**_

"You should put that in your hair." Zuko pointed to the flower that Mai held in her hand.

The young couple was taking a leisurely walk through the palace gardens. It was the end of a busy week and both of them were tired. They needed the relaxation that sun and warm breezes and mindless walking could provide.

Mai held the cheerful yellow bloom up to her nose and sniffed. It smelled wonderful for all its simplicity. "Why would I do that?" She peered at Zuko through narrowed eyes and wondered what he was thinking.

"I don't know; I've seen Katara do it lots of times. It looks pretty and sort of carefree. It's just an idea, a suggestion for the party tonight."

"Since when do _you _notice what women have in their hair? And the party is formal. A flower would seem flighty." Mai twisted the flower in her hand, eventually breaking the stem.

"I notice_ some_ things." Zuko's face wore a hurt, indignant expression. "Since when do _you_ care what people think?"

"I _don't_; but I also want to be taken seriously. These men and women are old fashioned, old school; however you want to phrase it." If Mai were truthful, she would admit that she was stubbornly averse to changing her hairstyle. Letting it down at bedtime was fine, but during the day or during functions, the familiar buns gave her a sense of security.

"The women will all be envious of your beauty and the men will all admire you; trust me. And then when you open your mouth to speak, they'll know just how bright you are too." The Fire Lord grabbed his fiancée's hand and began to play with her fingers. He loved Mai's hands, their pale, slender beauty, so much like that of their owner.

"That's pretty mushy, even for you." Mai rolled her eyes but the tone of her voice and the pink on her cheeks said that she liked Zuko's words very much. "I'll consider a flower, because you asked so prettily."

* * *

Mai was getting dressed for the aforementioned dull, formal party. Her robes were well made but simple; a deep red edged with black embroidery and a black sash. She slipped them on, making sure they hung properly, before sitting down at her vanity. Her hair was still loose, and Mai thought about Zuko's words. With a resigned sigh, she brushed out the long ebony tresses and began to pin them up.

"Wait; I've got something for you." Zuko burst into the room as if he were coming to her rescue. "I ran all the way from the garden; here." He thrust a beautiful red fire lily at her, the stem already trimmed. "It's for your hair."

"Yeah, I figured that out." She took the proffered flower and put it down on the vanity table. After one more look in the mirror, she unpinned her hair and let it fall down her back. "Satisfied?" she asked. Her eyebrows quirked upward and she looked intently at her fiancé.

"Yeah, yeah, I am." He moved to stand beside Mai and tucked the flaming red lily behind her ear. "See, it looks beautiful. _You_ look beautiful."

"I'll take your word for it." She glanced at herself again and was happy enough with her reflection. The flower and the long, flowing hair was strange and different but the affect was pleasing.

* * *

"I told you," Zuko whispered as they both undressed in the dim light of their rooms. "Everyone loved you."

"It wasn't because of the flower, Zuko." Mai pulled it gently from her hair.

As soon as the Fire Lord entered the bathroom, she picked up the lily, walked to the desk, and found a suitably large book. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure that Zuko didn't catch her sentimentalizing the bloom, and then put the flower in the book's centre. She closed it quietly and put the tome back in its place.

Years later, Mai still opened that book to the right page and touched the dried lily.

* * *

A/N: There is so much overlap with these prompts. I remember using a flower for the smell prompt, so that ruled out some ideas. That ^ is what I was left with. I'm not sure what I think of it.


	86. Chapter 86

**Maiko 100: Prompt #85: Strength**

_**Mutual Admiration**_

Zuko admired Mai for many things. She was smart and she was funny and she was courageous and she was strong. He wondered sometimes what it was that she saw in _him_. The new Fire Lord believed that she was infinitely better than he was himself. Every day, he counted himself as the luckiest man alive. He had Mai and no one else did.

* * *

He wasn't sure how Mai did it. He wanted to throttle at least one council member during every meeting. It was all he could do to maintain some semblance of control and a bit of dignity. But Mai sat through it all with a detached calm that spoke of great internal strength. She had survived years of being dismissed and forgotten. And she was better for it.

Yes, she did get angry, but it was a controlled anger, cold and frightening. And yes, she defended Zuko when council members questioned his abilities, his motives or his character. But she didn't explode or shout; she merely gave a particular look or very carefully chose a few pertinent words, speaking them with that raspy drawl that belied her disgust, her disdain and her fury. But the men understood exactly what Mai meant and they gulped, swallowing back down their hateful words and suddenly behaving themselves.

Zuko would look at Mai with awe. How in Agni's name did she do it?

* * *

He asked her about it one night while they lay together in bed. "How, Mai, how do you stay so calm and strong when they're such ignorant jerks?"

Mai looked at him, her lips twitching, as if they wanted nothing more than to kiss his. "I stay strong for you, stupid. It's you who gives me strength. It's always been you." She ran a hand through his hair and then brushed her fingertips delicately across his distinctive scar. "And you're pretty damn strong yourself."


	87. Chapter 87

A/N: The following drabble is completely and utterly serious…really it is. ;-)

**Maiko 100: Prompt #86: Weakness**

_**Beautiful Flakes of Fire**_

It wasn't _her_ fault, not really. It was _their_ fault for tasting so good, spicy and hot, almost like eating fire. Mai surmised that the brilliant man or woman, who had come up with Fire Flakes years ago, had named them so for just that reason. They were crispy too, breaking apart into delicious little bits inside her mouth, and providing a satisfying crunch every time she bit into one. The Fire Lady wished that she could meet and thank the person responsible.

She ate a lot of them, sneaking bags into the rooms she and Zuko occupied, hiding them in the wardrobe or behind pillows or under the bed. Zuko knew that she enjoyed them even more than her beloved fruit tarts, but the actual extent of her weakness didn't come to the fore until her first pregnancy.

"The physician said that you need to eat properly," the Fire Lord scolded his wife. "I don't think that Fire Flakes are on his list of good foods." He snatched the open bag from off her lap and tucked it inside his robes.

"Screw his list," Mai replied combatively. "Don't ask me why, but the spices and the flakiness settle my stomach. These Fire Flakes, I swear they were invented by Agni himself. How else could they be so perfect?"

Zuko's one eyebrow drew itself down toward the bridge of his nose. He reached out and felt Mai's forehead. "I think you might be sick. Maybe I should send for the physician."

She slapped his hand away. "Give me back my Fire Flakes if you know what's good for you!"

"I'm sorry, Mai, but you'll have to cut back or give them up altogether. Our baby deserves better than that."

She actually pouted, pushing out her bottom lip like an upset toddler. Her lip quivered then, ever so slightly, and tears formed in her eyes. She looked adorable and beautiful and extremely kissable. "Fine, maybe you're right. I do have a terrible weakness for them." She sniffed then and stared at her husband.

Zuko knew he was being played but he retrieved the bag of Fire Flakes anyway. He handed it to her with a long, suffering sigh. "Here, finish this bag. But tomorrow you really need to reduce your intake."

"Yes, dear," Mai smirked. She dug around in the paper pouch and pulled out a handful of beautiful and aromatic reddish orange. They almost glistened in the palm of her hand. The little dusting of crumbs on her nightgown made her smile. Leaning back against the pillows and placing her other hand atop her growing belly, Mai grinned. "The baby likes them too."

Groaning, Zuko stomped out of the room. "I'll need to get the factory to increase production at this rate."


	88. Chapter 88

**Maiko 100: Prompt #87: Courage**

_**Without Thought**_

She wasn't his bodyguard per se, but Mai was always watching, always alert, whenever they stepped outside of the palace and even within its well made walls. Zuko might be the Fire Lord but he was hardly invincible and danger could lurk anywhere. These were turbulent times, full of change and change sometimes scared people. Scared people sometimes did stupid things, like attempt to assassinate the leader they blamed for everything. He needed _someone _to protect him. Sure he protested at first, citing his love for her and that crazy desire he had for her to live and the fact that guards were in abundance. Plus, he mentioned his own capabilities.

"But the guards aren't as good as I am and you'll be distracted by your duties." She shrugged and that was the end of the conversation.

Her weapons were well maintained, polished and sharpened, and she trained every day without fail. Mai was good. No, she was more than good; she was amazingly skilled at throwing knives. Couple that with a fierce love for her soon to be husband and you had a powerful package. All her training and all her natural talent were put to the test about eight months into Zuko's reign as Fire Lord.

* * *

The more days that passed with nothing terrible happening, the more relaxed everyone became. There were protestors when Zuko visited schools or factories or when he spoke in Coronation Square. Zuko allowed them to say their piece freely as long as they maintained control of themselves. He would never resort to shutting people up simply because their opinions differed from his. But so far, no one had attempted to hurt or kill Zuko. That was about to change.

"Are you ready, Zuko? It's time to go." Mai tapped her foot impatiently and sighed for dramatic effect.

The Fire Lord adjusted his robes and stepped out into the hallway where Mai waited. He grabbed hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before dropping it again. "All set."

Zuko was to inspect a new design of Fire Nation vessel down at the harbor. It was dull work, but helped to boost the morale of not only the designers but the men and women who had worked hard to build the ship. Morale was important. No one knew that better than Zuko did.

A crowd was expected and the number of guards standing in the courtyard reflected that expectation. They stepped into formation around their lord and his fiancée, marching silently, inspecting the faces of people, looking for signs of danger.

Two older women caught Mai's eye. They stood close together, both dressed in robes of average quality, gaudy baubles decorating their necks and wrists and makeup a bit too heavy colouring each of their faces. Something wasn't quite right; her nerves were taut and her instincts screamed, but she couldn't put her finger on why.

As she and Zuko approached the ship, and the guards moved in tighter behind them, the 'women' unmindful of their own lives it seemed or those of anyone around them, broke from the ranks of watchers and lunged toward Zuko, nasty looking daggers waving in their hands. The Fire Lord was stunned; the sight of two painted women speeding toward him was a bizarre one. Before he had a chance to call on his inner fire and assume a bending stance, Mai stepped in front of him, swung her foot out in a graceful sweeping motion and tripped both would be assassins. They growled as their bottoms made contact with the hard packed dirt of the walkway and continued to stab outward with little skill.

Mai felt a stinging sensation in her thigh, but ignored it, instead focusing on finishing off those who dared try to hurt Zuko. When they were both pinned, Mai admired her handiwork. Both 'women' who as it turned out were men in disguise, were pinned by the hair, a matching cut on each of their left cheeks. They twisted angrily but couldn't get up. Guards surrounded them then, and they were taken away to the prison where they would await their trial.

"I should have killed them," Mai hissed. "Bitches, bastards, whatever."

She felt suddenly weak and almost fainted. Zuko caught her and gasped when blood came off on his hands.

"Mai, Mai." He sounded lost and scared, like a little boy.

She giggled. "I think one of them got me. Can you believe that? They were so bad and untrained that I couldn't predict them. So much for skilled assassins being dangerous; we need to watch out for the…for the…"

She lost consciousness then. Zuko swept her up into his arms and ran nonstop to the palace, barreling his way through the throngs of people.

* * *

She regained consciousness a little while later; her upper thigh was bandaged and hurt more than she would admit. But Zuko's eyes looking down at her and the warmth of his lips on her forehead were more than enough to compensate for any amount of pain.

"You scared me," Zuko chastised gently. "The physician says that you lost a lot of blood. Agni, Mai, I could have_ lost_ you."

She shrugged in that distinctive way of hers. "I did what I had to do and I would do it again. Don't start blaming yourself, Zuko."

He kissed her again, on the lips this time. "I love you; you know that, right?"

Mai nodded, her eyes growing sleepy again.

"You're very courageous. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"You have," she chuckled. "But it's nice to hear anyway."

Mai drifted back into sleep and Zuko sat vigil until she awoke.


	89. Chapter 89

A/N: I feel like I'm in a race to finish these things now. The end is near.

**Maiko 100: Prompt #88: Cowardice**

_**Not Ready Yet**_

Zuko and Mai sorted through the pile of scrolls that sat on the desk in his office. Every day, he received at least a few, though as the months went by, the urgency of the words inside seemed to fade. The Fire Lord's fiancée's mouth twisted into a bit of a grimace as she spotted a letter from Princess Azula's healer. He was the head of the asylum, a kind man, someone trying his best to both pull Azula out of her present tailspin and to see if there was a person deep down worth saving. Mai was inclined to believe that there wasn't. But Azula was _Zuko's_ sister and in this regard, she went along with his wishes.

"What's that letter, the one you just tucked under that pile over there?" Zuko frowned and pointed at the mounting stack of paper.

Sighing, Mai pulled it out. "Here; it's from Azula's healer. You've had a hard day. I simply wanted to spare you more upset. You could read it tomorrow, you know." She stood up from her seat and moved to stand behind Zuko. Draping her arms around his shoulders and leaning down, she kissed his cheek with a tenderness that made the Fire Lord's eyes well up.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, Mai. But delaying the inevitable really doesn't help." He broke the scroll's red wax seal and unrolled the letter.

_Fire Lord Zuko,_

_It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of your sister, Azula's, lack of progress. I cannot get through to her. Either she is lost in a world of her own making, or she is a fine actress biding her time. I have yet to decide. As long as she says and does nothing, I can do nothing._

_Once again, I ask that you visit the asylum, in the hopes that your presence might spark some sort of reaction in Azula._

_With greatest respect,_

_Doctor Akiyama_

Zuko let the scroll fall from his hands and on to the desk. He dropped his head into his hands and let out a shuddering sort of sigh. Mai rubbed his shoulders and whispered soothingly into his ear. She could make out enough of the letter to know what Zuko was upset about. Every time he wrote, the doctor asked Zuko to visit. The man simply wouldn't give up. As of yet, almost a year since the war's end, Zuko hadn't made the trip.

"I can't, Mai. I suppose that I'm a coward. I can't even go to the asylum and look my little sister in the eye. I'm afraid of what I'll see or what I _won't_ see. I'm afraid I'll find out that I could have done something, helped in some way or been a better brother. I _am _a coward. I'm pathetic." His voice was muffled but the pain in it came through anyway.

Mai hopped up onto the edge of the desk, pulled Zuko's hands away from his face and looked deep into his sad eyes. "You're one of the bravest, no you're _the_ bravest person I've ever met. I think that you're entitled to be a bit apprehensive, Zuko. It's all right. When you're ready, you'll go to see Azula, and I'll go with you."

"No, Mai, I couldn't ask you to go there, not after what she almost did to you. She's my responsibility."

"And you're going to be my husband. I'm going to be your wife. We share responsibilities. I _want_ to go with you, Zuko. I want to help all that I can. Don't you get it yet? Don't you get how much I love you?"

"It's becoming pretty clear," the Fire Lord replied with a faint smile.

"Well, let me make it clearer then. I'd better shut the door."


	90. Chapter 90

A/N: This drabble is my first foray into the world of Korra….it's before the time of the upcoming show obviously since Mai and Zuko are the characters involved, but uses some of the info we have re 'The Legend of Korra'...ie the show takes place 70 years after the end of Avatar and Korra is 16..so I did the complicated math. ;-)

**Maiko 100: Prompt #89 and 90: Dangerous/Safe**

**Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same**

The world had become a dangerous place, again. Instead of a war, there was a_ movement_. Mai wondered what the difference was; it still amounted to wanting to stamp a group of people out, it still amounted to violence, bloodshed and outright murder. In many ways the powerful surge that was making its way through the entire world, this sudden hatred and disdain for benders was more terrifying than the Fire Nation's March of Civilization had been.

There were clusters of raging anti benders throughout every nation, though the greatest amount seemed to be centered in the Earth Kingdom, with Republic City, hub of modernity, being its nucleus. They wore many faces; young, old, rich, poor, educated, ignorant, bright and not so much. Terrorism, random acts of brutality, was the means they used to get their point across. Why anyone listened to people who foamed at the mouth rather than make a coherent point with sense and logic, Mai could not understand.

She was seventy years old now and her husband, Zuko, still the Fire Lord, was seventy one. But they were hardly old in either mind or spirit and their love was as strong as it had ever been. Still, the thought of standing together and fighting once again, this time to eliminate a senseless hatred and to perhaps stop a second devastating war from happening, tired them both.

Aang's death changed everything.

* * *

"I understand why you want to go, but damn it, Zuko, do you have to?" Mai smoothed out a wrinkle in her husband's light weight tunic and pants. The Fire Lord robes of fifty years ago were no longer in style and had been relegated to the position of an antiquity, something to be dragged out only on rare occasions when Zuko wanted a link to the past, some sort of continuity; the weddings of each of their four children saw the robes as did the naming ceremonies of each of their twelve grandchildren and five great grandchildren. "Let Ryu speak. He's been itching to get more involved for years."

Zuko put his hands firmly on Mai's shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. "I have to go, especially after what they did to Aang. They murdered him, killed him in cold blood. And all he did was talk peace and harmony, all he did was stand up and talk, Mai. I can't stay here at home, where it's still comfortable and safe. It may not be safe here for long. I worry about our grandchildren and great grandchildren. Most of them are firebenders, Mai. What will happen to them? And Ryu, he'll get his turn soon enough. I'll be stepping down within the year and he'll be Fire Lord. Let him relax while he still can."

"Still as honourable as ever, aren't you?" There was affection in Mai's voice and more than a hint of worry. "And still just as stubborn too."

"Hmmph, still as amazing as ever," Zuko answered with a wide smile. He reached a hand out for his diadem and inserted it expertly into his grey topknot. Years of practice had made the motion second nature.

"Katara's a mess, Zuko. It's been almost six months and she's barely functioning. After what she saw, I can hardly blame her. I feel terrible and I wish that I could ease her pain. I don't want that to be _me_, Zuko."

"I'm going to die _one_ day; even Fire Lords succumb to death." He was smirking now, but Mai didn't find it funny.

"Quietly and peacefully in your sleep I can accept. A violent death I may not be able to. I'm going with you, Zuko."

She wrapped thin arms around his waist and pressed her grey head into his chest. It felt so good. It had felt good for so many years now and the thought of losing that made the Fire Lady's eyes sting with tears.

"I know that I can't stop _you _either; talk about stubborn." He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head softly.

"No, you can't. Let me throw a few things in a travel case. I'll be quick."

And she was. Over the fifty four years of Zuko's reign, they had gone on countless trips all over the world. Packing was one of the many things that Mai had refined.

* * *

Republic City was spectacular, a sight to behold. It had been built at the foot of one of the many mountain ranges that filled the central Earth Kingdom and alongside a massive lake, one of two in that general region. The city was a study in contrasts; the wonders of nature all around it competing with the wonders of modern technology that infused it.

Its architecture was an eclectic mix of all cultures and people who hailed from all corners of the world called the city home. It was heavily populated, noisy and as of the last few years, riddled with criminals and a particular element that wanted nothing more than to take full control of everything. It was also a fun place to be, full of vivacity and creativity. Anything and everything could be found in Republic City.

"I'll never get used to those things." Mai said with faint disgust as a motorcycle veered past their carriage and sped off down the cobblestone streets.

"Neither will I, but little Kyuichi loves them." Zuko smiled as he thought of his five year old great grandson. There was a time in his life, so many years ago now, when he was so very certain that the love of a family was something reserved for_ other_ people. Now, he was wealthy beyond anything he had ever envisioned. "We old fogeys are the only ones who use carriages anymore."

"I think that they're very dignified and distinctive," Mai huffed with mock indignation.

"But they're no fun, according to the young people." Zuko looked out the carriage window at the amazing assortment of people who walked and drove on the streets of Republic City. "It's really quite a place, isn't it; something else I never thought that I would see."

Mai couldn't shake the uneasiness she had felt since they had entered the city proper. "Yes, but I don't really like it. I prefer Ba Sing Se or Capitol City. Something here is off now; you can see it in peoples' faces, in their eyes. Something is taking over."

"We'll be home soon, Mai. I promise. Come here." Zuko pulled Mai to him gently and she rested her head on his strong shoulder. "I'll be fine."

* * *

Throngs of people were gathered in the square where the speeches would be delivered. Zuko and Mai spotted King Kuei sitting on the stage alongside Katara. A far cry from the naïve young king he had been during his early years, Kuei was now extremely well informed about everything that took place in the Earth Kingdom. He was almost overly zealous, as if in an attempt to make up for all that time he had spent in happy, silly ignorance. Nothing could make it by him any longer.

Katara, even from a distance, seemed broken. Her shoulders were slumped and her head looked down rather than out at the people, mainly grey hair hanging like drapery on each side of her careworn face. Both Mai and Zuko sighed at the sight of their dear friend.

"Oh," Mai exclaimed. She took Zuko's hand in hers and held on tight. He squeezed her fingers in return and together they exited the carriage, a young man dressed in a green uniform pulling the door open for them.

Bodyguards immediately surrounded the royal couple but Mai, dropping Zuko's hand, reached for her knives anyway. Her reflexes were slower but she was still good, better than most. And she had someone precious to protect.

Once up on the stage, they took their seats beside Katara. The Avatar's widow met their eyes briefly and offered a weak smile. "Hello, Mai. Hello, Zuko. I'm glad that you came. Aang would be so pleased and grateful."

"We miss him too," Zuko said softly. "And I'm still angry. I can only imagine how you must feel."

"Sort of empty," Katara offered with that same weak smile. "How are you guys?"

"We're all right," Mai replied. She put a hand briefly on her friend's shoulder and then stared out at the crowd which was growing larger by the minute.

Many people held up signs decrying the supposed dominance of benders and the lauding of their 'special' abilities. Others chanted words of peace and tolerance. There were other signs memorializing Avatar Aang. It was an odd mix, but so far, everyone was behaving. Zuko thought back to that day, the day he received word of Aang's death at the hand of a militant member of the anti bender movement. He had been shattered by the news, shattered by the very idea that someone would murder Aang; he was a man who had never willingly harmed anyone, a man who stood for peace, a man who loved, never hated. Zuko simply could not understand.

When it was her husband's turn to speak, Mai stood up with him and remained by his side. Her pale gold eyes roamed over people's faces, watching expressions change as Zuko's words affected them. She stood stiffly, her body a bundle of high strung nerves as she waited for an attack to come. It never did, not in the square at least, and the relief she felt when it was all over was palpable and thick.

* * *

After saying their goodbyes to Katara and to Appa, Mai and Zuko stepped back up into the carriage that would take them to their hotel.

"I wish we could just leave now," Mai complained.

"Early tomorrow morning," Zuko reminded her. "And I can't wait to get out of here, either."

Inside the hotel's opulent lobby, the couple waited impatiently to be shown to their rooms. When the bomb exploded, shattering glass, sending bricks flying like missiles and warping metal into unrecognizable, twisted hunks, Zuko shoved Mai down onto the floor hard. He covered her slight frame with his and said a prayer to Agni, something he rarely managed.

They survived, but the devastation that Mai and Zuko saw all around them confirmed their thoughts of earlier; the world was indeed a dangerous place…again.

"I want to go, NOW." Mai's voice was tremulous and Zuko could hear the tears. "I want to go home where it's safe."

Zuko said nothing. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her damp cheeks.

* * *

A/N: I think I might publish this separately as well, just for kicks. :)


	91. Chapter 91

**Maiko 100: Prompt #91: Open**

_**Reparations**_

Zuko wanted to do better. He wanted to make things up to Mai. Though the war was over and he was now Fire Lord and Mai had forgiven the transgression of 'the letter' and his sudden departure, Zuko still felt the need to communicate better with his girlfriend. She would be his wife one day soon, after all; well, if she accepted his proposal, that is.

He sat at the desk in his living quarters, a small lamp lit beside him, Mai slumbering deeply in the bed. His writing tools were spread out before him and a fresh, clean sheet of paper lay in the centre of the desk. Zuko picked up the brush and put the end of it in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully for a few moments before finally dipping the bristles into the _shiny_, _black_ ink.

_Eyes of gold and hair of shiniest black,_

_Knives strapped everywhere, well not on your back._

_Mai, you are so beautiful; around you I can hardly breathe,_

_Sometimes my tongue is tied in knots, knots of the strongest weave._

_I hope you know that I will always come back for you, should I ever have to leave._

The Fire Lord put down the brush and let his eyes roam over the rows of characters. They would never be perfect, never quite right, but they would have to do. He blew on the ink to speed up the drying process, and then rolled the paper up, tying it with red ribbon. With a grunt, he got up stiffly from his chair and tiptoed over to the bed. Suddenly and luckily, he realized what seeing that scroll on her pillow might do to Mai the next morning.

"What in Agni's name was I thinking?" he muttered to himself, brushing back his hair and frowning. "Hmm, maybe I can put it on the table while we're eating breakfast. Yeah, that's what I'll do."

* * *

Mai woke up slowly, first cracking one eye open and then the other before stretching her arms languorously above her head.

"Mmmm," she moaned. "Is breakfast ready, Zuko?" She could detect his shape out of the corner of her eye. "I'm hungry."

"It's ready," Zuko answered with a hint of both excitement and nervousness in his voice. He pulled the lids off the serving bowls and let the aromas waft over to where Mai still lay.

She sniffed the air and opened both eyes fully. "Smells delicious." After another stretch, Mai swung her legs over the side of the bed, reached for her robe, and joined Zuko at the table.

He served her a bit of everything and they ate in comfortable silence for a few moments before Mai noticed the scroll. "What's this?"

Zuko flushed. 'Damn', he thought. 'Why do I always have to do that?' Out loud he said, "I still feel bad about that letter, so I wrote you something else. Open it."

Mai cleared her throat, took a sip of tea and untied the ribbon. She fought valiantly to keep a straight face, but lost the battle, her lips twitching upward into a smile and a breathy little laugh escaping her lips.

"You don't like it," Zuko stated despondently. "I can't get anything right."

"I _love_ it," Mai contradicted him. "You're no poet, Zuko, but it's the sweetest thing I've ever read and I love you so much for trying."

"You mean it?" he asked, sounding like a small child eager for approval.

"Yes, I mean it." She got up, walked to Zuko's side of the table and sat down on his lap. He slid his arms around Mai and kissed her with all the passion he could muster. "Mmm, now _that_ you're good at; forget the poetry."

Zuko chuckled and kissed her again.


	92. Chapter 92

**Maiko 100: Prompt #92: Close**

_**On the Other Side**_

Just dear friends and family remained. With the wedding ceremony and the formal dinner and dance over, Mai and Zuko presided happily over Iroh, Toph, Sokka, Suki, Aang, Katara and Ty Lee. This, a small gathering with people they truly cared about, was what the newlyweds preferred. It was comfortable and easy and everyone could say what they wished without worrying about propriety.

Mai leaned back, resting her head on her new husband's shoulder, and kicked off her beautiful, delicate shoes. Kissing her head, Zuko reached up and withdrew one of the many pins that held Mai's hair in place. A large tendril of black was free now and hung down her back.

"Mmm, pull them all out," Mai urged.

Zuko complied and soon the new Fire Lady's hair covered her back in a thick ebony mane.

"Better?" Zuko asked quietly, the words meant only for her.

"Better," she whispered in reply and then snatched out his diadem.

Smirking, Mai wriggled closer and kissed her husband firmly on the lips.

"Oh, geez, leave it for the bedroom, will you?" Toph sent a small chunk of earth flying in the couple's direction. It landed on Zuko's lap.

But nothing could bother him tonight. It was his first night as a husband, and Zuko was thrilled. Yes, he and Mai had been living together for three years already, but there was something about exchanging vows, experiencing the elaborateness of the traditional Fire Nation ceremony, hundreds of people there to witness it all, that changed things.

"You're going to _take_ that," Mai joked.

"Yep," Zuko replied, flicking the clump of soil aside and brushing off his robes. "Tonight, I don't care."

They were out in the garden, sitting on blankets, sipping wine and looking up at the stars. Toph was 'looking' at the earth beneath her instead, and keeping close track of all her friends. She could detect a frown, a smile, a slight change in mood, a hint of excitement and certainly arousal. It was a both a gift and a curse, but mainly a gift.

"Grumpy is busy thinking about what's coming _up_ later, aren't you?" Toph shifted the earth beneath Mai and Zuko just a bit.

The Fire Lord tightened his grip on Mai and smiled. "Maybe, Toph, maybe; could you blame me?"

Iroh chuckled heartily. "It's perfectly natural, nephew. And Toph, I'm sure that your time is coming."

"Marriage; _no _thank you," the earthbender replied forcefully. "Sex, sure."

Ty Lee, Suki and Katara giggled while Aang and Sokka looked a trifle taken aback.

"Marriage is wonderful," Sokka declared. He pulled possessively on Suki's robes and planted a wet, drunken sort of kiss on her cheek.

"Most of the time," Suki joked. She scrubbed at her damp cheek and gave_ her_ husband an amused sort of glare. "Toph, you do what makes you comfortable."

"I intend to," the young woman asserted, sending one more, this one bigger, clump of earth into Zuko's lap.

"You know, Toph, I think that Mai and I might just get started on that 'later' stuff you mentioned." His cheeks were slightly pink and the earthbender felt his heart rate pick up.

Mai lifted her head and looked groggily at the group. "We'll be saying good night then." When she stood up, she gave each of her friends a hug and saved Iroh's for last.

"Take good care of him, Mai," the old tea maker implored as he pulled out of the embrace. "You are the best thing to ever happen to my nephew."

Mai was blushing now and looked down at her bare feet peeking out from under her bridal robes. "It's an honour to take care of him, Iroh. Thank you for everything."

"Good night," Zuko called. "Thank you, everyone, for supporting us."

A chorus of good nights followed and the group went back to their wine and star gazing.

"Have fun," Toph cried lewdly and then cackled with delight. "And keep it down; the noise that is."

* * *

The voices of their loved ones grew fainter and fainter as the couple approached the palace and disappeared completely once they stepped inside. Mai and Zuko walked hand in hand along the darkened corridors, taking their time, enjoying the anticipation of what was to come.

"Here we are," Mai declared. She pushed on the door handle and stepped inside their spacious suite of rooms. Zuko followed.

He watched the door to their rooms slowly close. His expression was contemplative. On the other side of the door was their old life and inside these rooms that he shared happily with Mai, their new life as husband and wife would begin. Neither could possibly be happier.


	93. Chapter 93

**Maiko 100: Prompt #93: Choices**

**Finally, Freedom**

Life really was all about choices, whether your _own_ or those of others, others close enough to affect you. For most of Mai's life her choices had consisted of what knife to throw at her wall or what dessert to pick. She went to the school her mother and father thought best, wore the hairstyle that her mother effortlessly dragged her black locks into every morning and wore the clothes her mother laid out for her. Mai sat where she was told to when company came over, politely spoke the words expected of her and then vanished into the background like the good daughter of a noble family should.

Mai felt rather useless, like her brain, a good brain, was fast turning into some sort of thick, goopy, sluggish paste. She feared that should the day ever come when she was in a position to decide something important, something momentous or even something simple like where to buy her next set of knives, she would be incapable.

Rather than determining her own road, Mai was dragged about from place to place, forced to do what Azula or her parents demanded. There was a brief period of burgeoning independence during those early years she knew Zuko. Mai sometimes ignored Azula's requests and went in search of the prince instead or defended the boy from his younger sister's vicious taunts. She sympathized with the prince, connected with him, wanted to be with him. That drive forced her to assert herself more than she ever had before.

When he was banished, Mai sort of drifted along, not caring about anything, dreaming about Zuko at night and wondering about him during the day. Despite all the times that her parents told her to, Mai would not and could not forget Zuko. In fact, she clung all the tighter to the idea that one day they would meet again.

And when it happened for real, when Mai and Zuko picked up where they had left off three years earlier, each of them different and yet still the same, she could feel herself begin to change. The idea of making choices didn't seem quite so farfetched. Zuko inspired her, gave her courage. He'd made choices, many of them wrong, but they had been Zuko's. Mai wanted that too.

And at the Boiling Rock Prison, with Zuko's very life in danger, Mai made her choice and her choice was Zuko. It would _always_ be Zuko. Mai's life was _finally_ her own and she was happy.


	94. Chapter 94

**Maiko 100: Prompt #94: Lost**

_**Invaluable**_

Zuko was slouched in a corner of his sparsely decorated quarters aboard the ramshackle ship that he commanded. His head was in his hands and tiny trembles shook his frame. He was crying and all over something that he had lost or misplaced.

It wasn't just _anything_, though. The object was precious to him beyond words, his lone reminder of a person dear to him and a time in his life when he had_ still_ felt that there was hope. Losing the object was like yet another kick to his already bruised and battered psyche. Part of him wanted to simply stay curled up in the corner, stay like that until Uncle or Jee came looking for him and physically dragged him above deck. The other part of the prince, the part that never gave up, the part with a determination and drive that often astounded those who knew him, forced himself to stand up and continue to look.

His mattress was overturned and the drawers of his meditation table were pulled open, the contents strewn across the cold, metal floor. Zuko searched through them again, tossing candles and knick knacks aside, lifting up his mattress to search underneath. But his search revealed nothing.

"It has to be in here somewhere!" the prince exclaimed. He viciously brushed fresh tears away, ashamed and angry that he wept, yet his longing for the object almost overwhelming.

He recalled holding it the night before, clasping it tight in his palm as he drifted off to sleep. Zuko had hoped that he would dream of her and their stolen moments in the palace gardens, their meetings in dim corridors that crisscrossed the prince's home. Well, it was hardly home now, but then, before his banishment, it _had_ been.

"Someone must have taken it, one of the men. But why?"

He stormed out of his room and stomped up the staircase, ready to question his crew. Someone was guilty of something and he was determined to find out who and what.

"Uncle," he shouted sharply. "Were you in my room this morning? Something of mine is missing."

"No, Zuko. I've been up here playing pai sho with cook and enjoying a cup of tea. Why would I take something from your room?" The older man turned his gaze back out to the sea."Ask the men; perhaps they know something."

The prince walked angrily to the wheel house where he found Lieutenant Jee along with three other crew members. They denied having been in his quarters. And the tones of their voices along with the expressions on their faces bespoke of the truth.

"Perhaps one of the cleaning crew was there this morning, Prince Zuko," Jee suggested.

"Obviously, I was going to question them next," he answered haughtily. "I don't need your suggestions."

Jee shared a look with the three men and shook his head. The young prince, just fourteen, had yet to learn the art of dealing with people diplomatically. He was rough and rude and showed no concern for their feelings or well being. Yet Jee was almost certain that beneath all that brusqueness was a kind heart.

Stomping away again, Zuko went back below deck and entered the steaming laundry room where all the cleaning staff had gathered for their morning break.

"Was anyone here in my quarters this morning? I was training above deck for an hour or so. Did one of you clean in my room?"

'I, I um, thought it was time for a fresh blanket, my lord. I change them once a week."

"You idiot," Zuko shouted, his face mere inches from the terrified man's. "Something very important of mine is missing. If I find that you took it from my room, I'll toss you into the sea without a second thought."

"I, I found something tangled up in your blanket, my lord. I assumed that it was worthless."

"Don't you ever assume anything," the prince roared. "Where is it?"

The crewman fumbled about for a moment, digging around in his pockets, and then produced the object. Zuko almost wept again, but this time with joy.

_To be continued in the next prompt: "Found"._


	95. Chapter 95

**Maiko 100: Prompt #95: Found**

_**Relief (a continuation of Invaluable)**_

Zuko looked at the object that the crewman held up. He was angry to see it in the hands of another, angry that it had sat at the bottom of the man's pocket, only a bit of material separating it from the man's body. It was Zuko's and Zuko's alone. No one else but the girl who gave it to him should _ever _touch it.

"I'm sorry, my lord," the terrified crewman stated again as he stared, transfixed by the confusing array of emotions that drifted across the prince's features. "I thought it was garbage, just a rock that had made its way into your room somehow. It won't happen again."

"Garbage? Just a rock? You have no idea how important that _rock_ is to me. You couldn't possibly understand." Zuko stepped forward, snatched it hurriedly from the man's hands and then stuffed it into his tunic.

He turned on his heel and left the laundry room. The crewmen all breathed out sighs of relief and went happily back to their work. A visit from the prince was never good and this one had been no exception.

"Did you find what you were looking for, nephew?" Iroh called out as he passed the young man in the hallway.

Zuko's reply was brusque. "Yes. Now leave me alone."

"As you wish, but we're having a pai sho tournament after lunch that you're more than welcome to join and I'd love to share a pot of tea with my favorite nephew." The former general stroked his beard and observed Zuko with intelligent amber eyes.

"I'm busy." When they reached Zuko's cabin, the prince opened the door roughly and pushed it shut in Iroh's face.

"Hmmm, he really needs to work on that temper," the older man mused. He smiled then. "I believe a few more years might calm him down. Either that or the company of a fine girl."

* * *

Zuko leaned against the metal door and pulled out the rock. He let it rest in the palm of his hand and checked it over as if somehow expecting it to be damaged. It was an ordinary volcanic rock, black, shiny, worn in spots from Zuko's touch, and shaped vaguely like a heart. Someone giving it a cursory glance might not see _that_ at all. In fact, when Mai had first given it to him, shortly before his banishment, even Zuko hadn't noticed the shape.

But the way that her pale gold eyes had lit up when he took it from her had told Zuko that there was something out of the ordinary about the rock.

"Look closely," he recalled her suggesting, and he had.

"Oh," he had exclaimed in surprise. "It looks like a heart."

He had flushed then, wondering about the implications of the gift, wondering about Mai's feelings for him. Could it be that she, so beautiful and bright, actually cared for him like that? He knew they were friends and that Mai liked him. But, shy and fumbling as he was, the ways of love were elusive to him. He had wished desperately for his mother then. He could have talked to her about Mai. She could have explained so many things and set his mind and heart at ease.

"Yes," Mai had agreed with the slightest roll of her eyes. "Glad you got that."

Zuko had flushed even more. "I like it. Thank you."

Daringly then, Mai had stood on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on Zuko's cheek; Zuko, even more daringly, had bent down and put his lips to hers. It had been Mai's turn to blush and Zuko remembered thinking just how pretty she looked with a hint of pink on her delicate pale skin.

He was getting lost in the past now, a dangerous thing to do perhaps, but sometimes it was comforting. Zuko gave himself a shake and moved away from the door. With a heavy sigh he pocketed the rock again and straightened up the mess in his room. When he was done, he sat down in front of his mediation table and lit some candles. Zuko took out the memento of Mai and put it down on the table. Rather than focus on the candles, he focused on that. Soon he was calm and relaxed, free of all his troubles, at least for the moment.


	96. Chapter 96

**Maiko 100: Prompt #96: Memories**

_**Something to Cling To**_

Mai stretched out on the lumpy, thin mattress and twirled a piece of hair around her index finger. It was completely loose, hair pins were not allowed in The Boiling Rock, and cascaded down her back, thick and shiny. Zuko had only seen her hair loose the few times they had spent the night together. He had been enchanted by it and was always touching, running his fingers along the silky strands.

"You should let your hair down more," Mai remembered him saying. "You know, during the day; it's so pretty."

It was ironic that when she finally _did_, Zuko wasn't there to see it. He was off with the Avatar and the Avatar's strange friends, busy saving the world from the tyranny of the Fire Nation. Still, it was a good memory and right now, stuck in the bare, metal prison cell, memories were all that Mai had.

'To bad I don't have more good ones,' she thought bitterly and grabbed another bit of hair, poor substitute for her blades though it was. 'But the good ones I do have, most of those are of Zuko. Of course, a lot of the most painful ones are too.'

Mai shook her head, a smirk twisting her lips upward, and wondered what he was doing, if he was safe, and whether he ever thought of her. She wondered if_ his_ recollections of their time together matched hers. They were strange things, memories; they altered over time, sometimes fading and sometimes becoming clearer. Randomly, she would recall something Zuko had said months or years ago, though she hadn't given the moment any thought for the longest time. Sometimes memories were bright and intense, like the sun shining in her eyes and other times they were muted and faded, sepia coloured and ready to slip away.

She closed her eyes and shifted a bit on the cot. It was uncomfortable and she hadn't gotten used to it yet. She pictured Zuko as she had last seen him, eyes wide with something she thought might be admiration mixed with a bit of surprise. Her actions had surprised herself, after all. It made sense that Zuko would feel the same. If _that _was his last image of her, his final memory, she would be pleased. She had done something sort of miraculous after all, something so momentous that he was certain to remember it always.

He had looked handsome there on the gondola, with the wind blowing his hair about, rough, baggy prison uniform billowing in the wind too. If Mai concentrated hard enough, she could almost smell him, feel the warmth of his touch and the tenderness of his kisses. She fell asleep like that, remembering Zuko.


	97. Chapter 97

**Maiko 100: Prompt #97: Rain**

_**Lazy Winter Afternoon**_

It was raining, again, but that summed up Fire Nation winters. Days and days of drizzle and grey skies, slightly cooler temperatures mixed with the occasional warm, sunny day, and then more rain. It got monotonous but then again, so did the near constant heat, blue skies and bright sun of summer. Mai didn't mind and neither did Zuko. Rainy days were perfect for some things.

Zuko, at Mai's persistent urging, had taken a much needed day off from his never ending and frustrating duties as new the Fire Lord. Someone needed to watch over him, make sure that he got some relaxation, because if Zuko had his way, he would work every day from sun up until sun down, barely stopping to eat or drink. He was intense and overly conscientious and idealistic and it was killing him. Mai loved him all the more for his genuine desire to do right by both his own nation and the rest of the world, but she wasn't about to let him get ill or see him worn down to nothing but a shadow of himself.

She crooked her finger, beckoning her fiancé over to the window seat where she was stretched out like a cat, all loose limbed and sleepy looking. He ambled over, gave her a kiss on the cheek and then curled up alongside her body, slinging an arm about her waist.

"This is nice," he said softly.

Mai backed up a bit, wanting to feel every inch of Zuko against her. The sound of the rain falling always made her drowsy and today was no exception. "It is," she replied huskily. "I've got tea coming shortly and your favorite biscuits."

"Mmm, thanks, Mai." Zuko nuzzled her ear and then gave it a gentle bite.

He was feeling sleepy too and despite the desire that was slowly building in his body, wanted nothing more than to close his eyes, even if it_ was_ only for a few minutes.

Mai could sense his weariness. "You can go to sleep; it's all right. I just want you to forget about being the Fire Lord today."

"I don't want to disappoint you, Mai. I know that you wanted us to spend some time together."

"Idiot," she replied affectionately. "This_ is_ spending time together."

"Okay," Zuko relented. He kissed behind her ear and then let his eyes fall shut.

When the servant brought in tea, she found them both sound asleep, curled up around each other, Zuko's larger hand protectively covering Mai's smaller one. The sentimental older woman was moved almost to tears. Tiptoeing carefully out of the sun room, she returned the tray to the kitchen. "Best let them sleep, poor things," she muttered.

The young couple awoke a few hours later, refreshed and ready to enjoy the remainder of their day. Outside the rain still fell.


	98. Chapter 98

**Maiko 100: Prompt #98: Sun**

_**Into the Light**_

It was blindingly bright, the mid afternoon sun reflecting off both the azure sea and the white sand of the tiny, uninhabited island where Mai and Zuko were vacationing.

"Do you want me to get the umbrella?" Zuko asked.

They were stretched out on the sand, damp from their latest swim. Mai snorted and smiled a sly sort of rebellious smile. "No, I spent years under a damn umbrella. I like it out in the sun."

"Yeah, I guess you did," Zuko agreed. He looked briefly sad as he thought about Mai and her repressive childhood. Her parents had not appreciated all that was wonderful about her and had focused instead on making her their perfect little doll, voiceless and relegated to a corner somewhere. Anger boiled inside of Zuko. How could they not have seen the treasure that they had?

He looked over at Mai lovingly, and ran a hand down her slender thigh. Her skin was hot to the touch.

"Let's go back in for another swim," Mai suggested. She giggled happily as she leapt up and ran down the small stretch of beach to the water.

Zuko got up more slowly. He was enjoying the sight of Mai simply having fun, finally letting go and doing exactly what she wanted to when she wanted to. She deserved that freedom and she deserved every bit of love and respect he could give her. Zuko hoped that it was enough.

"Aren't you coming?" she called to him. Only her head was showing above the waves and her black hair spread out fan like around her. The sun shone down on Mai and she was smiling. "Come on, Zuko. The water is perfect."

Zuko smiled back. He took one last look at Mai before diving beneath the waves and popping up beside her.

"You're perfect, perfect for me," he stated and then kissed her. "And you look great in the sun."


	99. Chapter 99

**Maiko 100: Prompt #99: Clouds**

_**Grief Counseling **_

The sky was full of them the day that Iroh died; massive, white, puffy clouds that took on so many familiar shapes once you stared at them long enough. Zuko and Mai knew it was coming; Iroh had moved into the palace with them a month before, too weak to look after his beloved Jasmine Dragon and longing to spend his final days with those who loved him best.

As soon as Iroh closed his warm, wise eyes for the last time, Zuko jumped from his seat beside the bed and ran out of the palace and into the gardens. He needed to be outside in the air; the palace had suddenly become suffocating, a place of death. Mai looked at their three children, sighed heavily and went after Zuko alone.

"Hey," she said when she found him slumped on a bench that sat in Iroh's favorite part of the palace gardens. She rested a hand on Zuko's shoulder then and sat down beside him.

There were no words that could possibly do justice to the grief that Zuko must be feeling, so Mai chose to give her support silently, something she was very good at. She would let Zuko speak when he was ready. Almost an hour passed before he did.

"I miss him already, Mai."

She took his hand in hers and held it loosely, running her thumb back and forth across it. Zuko closed his eyes, relishing the feel of Mai's touch. He trembled then and began to weep. Mai's heart twisted and ached at the sight and all she wanted to do then was take her husband's pain away.

"It will get better," she finally whispered. "After awhile it won't hurt quite so much. That's what I'm hoping anyway."

"Yeah, that's what they say," Zuko sniffled and gave his wife a weak smile. "Thank Agni I have you, Mai, and the kids. I'm going to lean on you."

"Well, at least you know how to ask for help now. Just let me know; I'll do whatever you need me to."

She put her head back and looked up at the cloud filled sky. Zuko gave Mai a glance and then did the same.

"That one almost looks like a teapot," Mai smiled. She pointed upward to a cloud that hovered above a huge willow tree. "Iroh would have loved that."

"Yeah, it sort of does," Zuko agreed. The Fire Lord closed his eyes for a moment and pictured his uncle, a father to him in all the ways that mattered, puttering around in his tea shop. He smiled too and pressed his body against Mai's. "Thank you," he murmured.

Mai didn't need to reply.


	100. Chapter 100

**Maiko 100: Prompt #100: Thunder/Lightning**

_**Residual Tension**_

A full year after Zuko intercepted the lightning that was meant for the waterbender, Mai still shuddered a bit every time she sensed a thunder storm coming. When the sky turned that bruised purplish colour, the winds picked up and the low rumble of distant thunder could be heard, she gathered her robes tightly around her and sought out Zuko.

She hated being irrational. While her mind knew that Zuko was safe inside the palace and that the lightning, created by nature, not a mentally unstable firebending prodigy, would not strike him, her emotions 'thought' differently.

"I was waiting for you." Zuko pushed the door to his office open wider and let Mai pass. "You know, Mai, one…..

"Don't say anything," she cut him off. "I know too well just how ridiculous I'm being. There's no need for you to rub it in." She frowned at her fiancé and dropped down onto one of the chairs.

"Okay, I was just going to say that you might not be here for every thunderstorm or _I_ might encounter one on a trip while _you're_ here. You need to stop worrying. I'm fine. "

"So much for not saying anything; and you know that our roles have been completely reversed here, don't you? What is _wrong_ with me?"

Zuko chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that they have been. How many times did you tell me to stop worrying when I first got back to the Fire Nation _and_ on the way here? "

"I lost count after the first few hundred," Mai deadpanned.

"Hmmph," Zuko snorted. "And I _still _worried, though I was glad that you cared enough to notice."

"Of course, I cared, you big idiot. I was in love with you _then_. I was in love with you before you were banished. But we were both too dense to figure it out."

Zuko smiled shyly as he thought about those early days of their relationship. How fortunate he had been to meet up with Mai again after those three terrible years. He sat down in the chair next to her and patted his lap suggestively. "Come sit here. You can protect me from the lightning better."

"Jerk," she muttered but there was no sting to the word. It was said with affection and warmth. She pushed herself out of the chair and let herself fall down hard on Zuko's lap. "Did that hurt?" she asked innocently after Zuko grunted loudly.

"No, not at all." The Fire Lord squirmed a bit beneath Mai.

She gave him a wicked smirk then placed her hand where she knew the scar from Azula's lightning strike was located. Her expression grew serious.

"I'm not going anywhere, Mai. _Here_ is where I want to be, with you. And anyone who wants to kill me will have the fight of his life waiting for him." Zuko stroked Mai's hair and he felt some of the tension and worries leave her body.

"He'll have to get through _me_ first," Mai said emphatically as she snuggled deeper into Zuko's chest.


End file.
